Forming Adverbs
from Adjectives |
Grammar
Index |
Many English adverbs are
formed by adding -ly to an adjective (e.g. most + ly = mostly;calm
+ ly = camly; etc.). Many Portuguese adverbs are formed in a
similar manner by adding -mente to the singular feminine form of
the adjective:
sincero
(sincere) + mente = sinceramente (sincerely)
horrível (horrible)
+
mente = horrívelmente (horribly)
However, several common Portuguese
adverbs have the same form as the masculine singular adjective:
breve (or brevemente)
= soon or shortly
raro (or raramente)
= rarely
barato = cheap or
cheaply
caro = dear or dearly
When two or more adverbs
ending in -mente are used together (strung together) in the same
sentence, only the last word using the -mente ending is used as
such. All others use the feminine form of the adjective. For example:
She talked slowly, clearly
and pleasantly.
Ela falada vagarosa, clara
e amavelmente.
but never...
Ela falada vagarosamente,
claramente e amàvelmente.
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