🏃Adverbs of manner
How the action happens: well, badly, fast, slowly, together, alone.
12 concepts
Columns follow the languages switched on at the top. Gender after the word (m/f/n); IPA beneath; notes, alternatives and origins underneath — nothing is hidden.
| Concept | English | Français | Español |
|---|---|---|---|
well adverb | well wɛl Adjective is good: he plays well, not 'he plays good' (though speech does it). | bien bjɛ̃ Adjective is bon. Très bien = very good/well. | bien bjen Adjective is bueno. Está bien = it's fine / okay. |
badly adverb | badly ˈbædli | mal mal Pas mal = not bad — which usually means 'pretty good'. | mal mal Adjective is malo, adverb mal: canta mal. Menos mal = thank goodness. |
fast / quickly adverb | fast fɑːst also: quickly Same form as the adjective — never 'fastly'. | vite vit Vite is the adverb, rapide the adjective: il conduit vite, une voiture rapide. | rápido ˈrapiðo also: rápidamente, deprisa Word-initial r is the trilled /r/. |
slowly adverb | slowly ˈsləʊli | lentement lɑ̃tmɑ̃ -ment adverbs build on the feminine: lente + -ment. | despacio desˈpaθjo also: lentamente Más despacio, por favor — the phrase every learner needs first. |
together adverb | together təˈɡɛðə | ensemble ɑ̃sɑ̃bl Also the noun 'ensemble' — a whole, an outfit. | juntos ˈxuntos Agrees: juntas for an all-female group. |
alone adverb | alone əˈləʊn also: on my own, by myself | seul sœl Agrees: seule, seuls, seules. Tout seul = all alone / all by oneself. | solo ˈsolo Agrees: sola. Same word as 'only' — the adverb used to be written sólo. |
carefully adverb | carefully ˈkeəfəli | prudemment pʁydamɑ̃ also: soigneusement (with care), attentivement -emment is pronounced -amment. Fais attention ! = be careful! | con cuidado kon kwiˈðaðo also: cuidadosamente ¡Cuidado! alone = watch out! |
loudly adverb | loudly ˈlaʊdli also: out loud | fort fɔʁ Parler fort = to speak loudly. Also 'strong'. À voix haute = out loud. | alto ˈalto Hablar alto. Also 'tall/high'. En voz alta = out loud. |
quietly adverb | quietly ˈkwaɪətli Quiet ≠ quite — one letter, different word. | doucement dusmɑ̃ also: à voix basse (in a low voice) From doux 'soft' — also 'gently' and 'slowly': doucement ! | en voz baja en boθ ˈβaxa also: bajito, tranquilamente |
suddenly adverb | suddenly ˈsʌdənli | tout à coup tutaku also: soudain, tout d'un coup Liaison glues it into one word: /tutaku/. | de repente de reˈpente also: de pronto |
again adverb | again əˈɡɛn Also /əˈɡeɪn/ for many speakers — both fine. | encore ɑ̃kɔʁ also: de nouveau, à nouveau Same word as 'still' and 'more' — context decides. Encore une fois = one more time. | otra vez ˈotɾa ˈβeθ also: de nuevo Or volver a + infinitive: vuelvo a empezar = I start again. |
like this / this way adverb | like this laɪk ðɪs also: this way, like that | comme ça kɔm sa Comme ci comme ça = so-so. C'est comme ça = that's how it is. | así aˈsi Así así = so-so. Así es = that's right. |