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232 Spanish words you already know: -ly → -mente

Spanish makes adverbs the way English does with -ly: take the adjective and add -mente. Rapidly is rápidamente, totally is totalmente, probably is probablemente. Build it on the feminine form of the adjective (rápida, not rápido) and keep any written accent the adjective had.

-ly-mente

totally → totalmente · really → realmente · exactly → exactamente

Take the adjective's feminine form and keep its accent: rápida → rápidamente.

Read Spanish with every word explained

The 228 that match exactly, most common first

Spanish words that turn -ly into -mente
Spanish	English	What it means
realmente	really	really, actually, genuinely
exactamente	exactly	exactly
probablemente	probably	probably, likely
simplemente	simply	simply
completamente	completely	completely
totalmente	totally	totally
finalmente	finally	lastly, finally, in the end
obviamente	obviously	obviously
absolutamente	absolutely	absolutely; completely; entirely; totally; utterly; wholly
especialmente	specially	specially
inmediatamente	immediately	immediately
suficientemente	sufficiently	sufficiently
directamente	directly	directly, firsthand
legalmente	legally	legally, lawfully
perfectamente	perfectly	perfectly
normalmente	normally	normally; usually; most of the time; customarily
claramente	clearly	clearly
rápidamente	rapidly	rapidly, quickly
físicamente	physically	physically
aparentemente	apparently	apparently
básicamente	basically	basically
personalmente	personally	personally
precisamente	precisely	precisely
literalmente	literally	literally
honestamente	honestly	honestly
recientemente	recently	recently
prácticamente	practically	practically
posiblemente	possibly	possibly
naturalmente	naturally	naturally, of course
emocionalmente	emotionally	emotionally
sinceramente	sincerely	sincerely
profundamente	profoundly	profoundly, deeply
oficialmente	officially	officially
francamente	frankly	frankly
técnicamente	technically	technically
extremadamente	extremely	extremely
increíblemente	incredibly	incredibly
aproximadamente	approximately	approximately
constantemente	constantly	constantly
generalmente	generally	generally, normally
correctamente	correctly	correctly
seriamente	seriously	seriously
terriblemente	terribly	terribly
afortunadamente	fortunately	fortunately; luckily
necesariamente	necessarily	necessarily
estrictamente	strictly	strictly
evidentemente	evidently	evidently, obviously, clearly
parcialmente	partially	partially
usualmente	usually	usually
particularmente	particularly	particularly
específicamente	specifically	specifically
mutuamente	mutually	mutually
accidentalmente	accidentally	accidentally
sexualmente	sexually	sexually
eternamente	eternally	eternally
superficialmente	superficially	superficially
previamente	previously	previously
voluntariamente	voluntarily	voluntarily
deliberadamente	deliberately	deliberately
mentalmente	mentally	mentally
temporalmente	temporarily	temporarily
ilegalmente	illegally	illegally
públicamente	publicly	publicly
adecuadamente	adequately	adequately
originalmente	originally	originally
automáticamente	automatically	automatically
permanentemente	permanently	permanently
regularmente	regularly	regularly
apropiadamente	appropriately	appropriately
intencionalmente	intentionally	intentionally
firmemente	firmly	firmly; strongly
relativamente	relatively	relatively
maravillosamente	marvelously	marvelously
potencialmente	potentially	potentially
esencialmente	essentially	essentially
irracionalmente	irrationally	irrationally
raramente	rarely	rarely, seldom
ocasionalmente	occasionally	occasionally
exclusivamente	exclusively	exclusively
frecuentemente	frequently	often, frequently
brutalmente	brutally	brutally
independientemente	independently	independently
políticamente	politically	politically
genéticamente	genetically	genetically
urgentemente	urgently	urgently
remotamente	remotely	remotely
formalmente	formally	formally
secretamente	secretly	secretly
tremendamente	tremendously	tremendously
profesionalmente	professionally	professionally
puramente	purely	purely
habitualmente	habitually	habitually, normally, usually
horriblemente	horribly	horribly
enteramente	entirely	entirely
gradualmente	gradually	gradually
injustamente	unjustly	unjustly, unfairly
instantáneamente	instantaneously	instantaneously
hipotéticamente	hypothetically	hypothetically
cordialmente	cordially	cordially
inicialmente	initially	initially
indefinidamente	indefinitely	indefinitely
repetidamente	repeatedly	repeatedly
vagamente	vaguely	vaguely
socialmente	socially	socially
virtualmente	virtually	virtually
violentamente	violently	violently
moralmente	morally	morally
sucesivamente	successively	successively
curiosamente	curiously	curiously, oddly, strangely
irónicamente	ironically	ironically; with irony
intensamente	intensely	intensely; acutely
severamente	severely	severely
solemnemente	solemnly	solemnly
teóricamente	theoretically	theoretically
misteriosamente	mysteriously	mysteriously
extraordinariamente	extraordinarily	extraordinarily
positivamente	positively	positively
infinitamente	infinitely	infinitely
manualmente	manually	manually, by hand, on hand, to hand
inevitablemente	inevitably	inevitably, unavoidably, inexorably
científicamente	scientifically	scientifically
simultáneamente	simultaneously	simultaneously
considerablemente	considerably	considerably
excesivamente	excessively	excessively
psicológicamente	psychologically	psychologically
generosamente	generously	generously
individualmente	individually	individually
económicamente	economically	economically, financially
innecesariamente	unnecessarily	unnecessarily
preferiblemente	preferably	preferably
convenientemente	conveniently	conveniently
estadísticamente	statistically	statistically
fundamentalmente	fundamentally	fundamentally
trágicamente	tragically	tragically
financieramente	financially	financially
meramente	merely	merely, simply
mágicamente	magically	magically
doblemente	doubly	doubly, twofold, twice
inmensamente	immensely	immensely, hugely
falsamente	falsely	falsely
lógicamente	logically	logically
valientemente	valiantly	valiantly, bravely
tradicionalmente	traditionally	traditionally
excepcionalmente	exceptionally	exceptionally
comúnmente	commonly	commonly
presumiblemente	presumably	presumably
razonablemente	reasonably	reasonably
intencionadamente	intentionally	intentionally
históricamente	historically	historically
indirectamente	indirectly	indirectly
activamente	actively	actively
apasionadamente	passionately	passionately
expresamente	expressly	expressly
decididamente	decidedly	decidedly
típicamente	typically	typically
íntimamente	intimately	intimately
espontáneamente	spontaneously	spontaneously
pacientemente	patiently	patiently
mortalmente	mortally	fatally, mortally
radicalmente	radically	radically
erróneamente	erroneously	erroneously
delicadamente	delicately	delicately
ridículamente	ridiculously	ridiculously
incondicionalmente	unconditionally	wholeheartedly, unconditionally, unreservedly, unquestioningly
internamente	internally	inside, within, internally
sistemáticamente	systematically	systematically
médicamente	medically	medically
notablemente	notably	notably
humanamente	humanly	humanly
prematuramente	prematurely	prematurely
visualmente	visually	visually
estúpidamente	stupidly	stupidly
metafóricamente	metaphorically	metaphorically, figuratively
inusualmente	unusually	unusually
espiritualmente	spiritually	spiritually
cruelmente	cruelly	cruelly
dramáticamente	dramatically	dramatically
significativamente	significantly	significantly
ansiosamente	anxiously	anxiously
brillantemente	brilliantly	brilliantly
clínicamente	clinically	clinically
drásticamente	drastically	drastically
instintivamente	instinctively	instinctively, intuitively
estratégicamente	strategically	strategically
genuinamente	genuinely	genuinely
intelectualmente	intellectually	intellectually
miserablemente	miserably	miserably
verbalmente	verbally	verbally
inteligentemente	intelligently	intelligently
elegantemente	elegantly	elegantly
objetivamente	objectively	objectively
decentemente	decently	decently
legítimamente	legitimately	legitimately
biológicamente	biologically	biologically
modestamente	modestly	modestly
confidencialmente	confidentially	confidentially
agresivamente	aggressively	aggressively
divinamente	divinely	divinely, royally, wonderfully
meticulosamente	meticulously	meticulously
artificialmente	artificially	artificially
químicamente	chemically	chemically
abruptamente	abruptly	abruptly
momentáneamente	momentarily	momentarily, temporarily
racionalmente	rationally	rationally
matemáticamente	mathematically	mathematically
involuntariamente	involuntarily	involuntarily
digitalmente	digitally	digitally
exponencialmente	exponentially	exponentially
categóricamente	categorically	categorically
incorrectamente	incorrectly	incorrectly
musicalmente	musically	musically
magníficamente	magnificently	magnificently
explícitamente	explicitly	explicitly, specifically, expressly
deliciosamente	deliciously	deliciously
internacionalmente	internationally	internationally
inexplicablemente	inexplicably	inexplicably, unaccountably
románticamente	romantically	romantically
electrónicamente	electronically	electronically
enérgicamente	energetically	energetically
negativamente	negatively	negatively
culturalmente	culturally	culturally
localmente	locally	locally
eficientemente	efficiently	efficiently
periódicamente	periodically	periodically
alfabéticamente	alphabetically	alphabetically
satisfactoriamente	satisfactorily	satisfactorily
inocentemente	innocently	innocently
fervientemente	fervently	fervently

4 more, through another meaning

The trick works, but the English word is not the first thing these mean.

Words the trick reaches through a second meaning
Spanish	English	What it means
definitivamente	definitively	definitely
principalmente	principally	mainly
desesperadamente	desperately	hopelessly
continuamente	continually	continuously, nonstop

The ones that bite

They look like the trick and mean something else.

actualmente looks like actually — it means currently, nowadays
últimamente looks like ultimately — it means lately, recently
eventualmente looks like eventually — it means possibly, now and then — eventually is finalmente
casualmente looks like casually — it means by chance
efectivamente looks like effectively — it means indeed, quite right — the answer you give when somebody has it exactly
nuevamente looks like newly — it usually means again: de nuevo, otra vez
seguramente looks like surely — it often means probably: seguramente llueva, it will probably rain
indistintamente looks like indistinctly — it means interchangeably, either way: se usan indistintamente
largamente looks like largely — it means at length, for a long time: largo is long
gratuitamente looks like gratuitously — it means for free

Where it comes from

-mente was a word before it was an ending: the Latin noun mens, mind, in the form mente, with a mind. Clara mente meant with a clear mind, and because mens was feminine the adjective still takes its feminine form today. It is still felt as half a word: when two adverbs come in a row, Spanish writes -mente only once, on the last — clara y concisamente.

More tricks

-ity → -idadSpanish158 words · university → universidad · reality → realidad

Read Spanish with every word explained

Sources

Word meanings from Wiktionary, via kaikki.org, under CC BY-SA 3.0; word frequencies from FrequencyWords (MIT). This list is shared under the same CC BY-SA 3.0 licence. Built 2026-10-12.