Spanish · Chapter 14 · Lesson 8 · Grammar primer
Adverbs in -mente
Building adverbs of manner from the feminine adjective (rapida -> rapidamente), the accent rule, and when Spanish reaches for con + noun instead.
The short version
Build from the feminine, and keep the accent
Take the feminine singular of the adjective and add -mente: rápido gives rápida gives rápidamente. Start from the masculine and you get the non-existent rapidomente. The adjective's written accent survives the suffix even though the spoken stress moves, so it is fácilmente and comúnmente.
rápidamente
Two -mente adverbs in a row, one suffix
When two -mente adverbs are joined by y, o or pero, Spanish strips the suffix off the first and leaves the bare feminine adjective. The final -mente does the work for both. Lentamente y claramente reads as redundant in careful writing; it is lenta y claramente.
Habló lenta y claramente.
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