Position of Adverbs in Spanish Grammar

Where do Spanish adverbs go in a sentence?

The position of Spanish adverbs (la posición del adverbio) is fairly flexible. Generally, we try to place the adverb close to the word or part of speech it is modifying.

Read on to learn all about the position of Spanish adverbs, then practise in the interactive exercises.

Catalina ha adoptado recientemente a su perra Amapola y la quiere locamente.

Amapola es una perra muy cariñosa y se porta siempre extremadamente bien.

Amapola no sabe hacer ningún truco, lamentablemente. Catalina quiere enseñarle cariñosamente a dar la patita.

Salen a pasear diariamente durante horas por la playa. Amapola siempre tiene ganas de jugar.

Efectivamente, Amapola y Catalina son mejores amigas.

Catalina también tiene un gato llamado Girasol.

Where to put Spanish adverbs in a sentence

The placement of Spanish adverbs depends on the part of speech it is modifying:

Verb + adverb

Generally, adverbs come after the verb they modify (especially adverbs of quantity and manner).

Example:
Catalina la quiere locamente. Catalina loves her dearly.
the adverb locamente modifies the verb querer

When the verb is conjugated in a compound tense, the adverb comes after the main verb.

Example:
Catalina la ha adoptado recientemente. Catalina adopted her recently.
not: Catalina la ha recientemente adoptado.

When the verb appears as part of a verbal periphrasis, the adverb also comes after the main verb (i.e. the impersonal verb form).

Example:
Catalina quiere enseñarle cariñosamente a dar la patita. Catalina wants to lovingly teach her to give paw.
not: Catalina quiere cariñosamente enseñarle a dar la patita.

Exceptions:

The following are exceptions to the rule above:

  • the adverb of negation no always comes before the verb
Example:
Amapola no sabe dar la patita. Amapola doesn’t know how to give paw.
  • the adverb casialmost also comes before the verb
Example:
Catalina casi adopta a otro perro. Catalina almost adopted a different dog.
  • the adverbs solo (solamente)only and inclusoeven can come before or after the verb
Example:
Catalina solo tiene dos animales en casa.
= Catalina tiene solo dos animales en casa. Catalina only has two pets at home.
Example:
Girasol incluso duerme durante la noche.
= Girasol duerme incluso durante la noche. Girasol even sleeps through the night.

Note

If the verb is transitive and takes a direct object, the adverb comes after the latter, even though it modifies the verb.

Example:
Catalina quiere a su perra locamente. Catalina loves her dog dearly.
direct object = a su perra

Adverb + adjective/adverb

Adverbs come before the adjective or adverb they modify.

Examples:
Amapola es muy cariñosa. Amapola is very affectionate.
adverb + adjective
Se porta extraordinariamente bien. She behaves extraordinarily well.
adverb + adverb

Adverb + entire clause

When an adverb modifies an entire clause, it can have one of three possible placements:

  • at the very beginning of the clause
Example:
Efectivamente, Catalina y Amapola son mejores amigas. Basically, Catalina and Amapola are best friends.
  • after the verb
Example:
Amapola no sabe hacer, lamentablemente, ningún truco. Amapola unfortunately doesn’t know how to do any tricks.
  • at the very end of the clause
Example:
A los vecinos de Catalina no le gustan los animales, aparentemente. Catalina’s neighbours don’t like animals, apparently.

Note

When an adverb modifies an entire clause, it is set off by commas.

Interrogative adverbs

The interrogative adverbs (cómohow, cuándowhen, cuántohow much, dóndewhere, por quéwhy) always come at the beginning of the question (introduced by a preposition if necessary).

Examples:
¿Cuánto come? How much does she eat?
¿Desde cuándo tienes a Amapola? How long have you had Amapola?

The adverbs también and tampoco

The adverb tambiénalso is used in affirmative sentences and tampoco(n)either is used in negative sentences.

También and tampoco can occupy one of three possible positions:

  • before the verb
Examples:
Catalina también tiene un gato llamado Girasol. Catalina also has a cat named Girasol.
Girasol tampoco sabe hacer ningún truco. Girasol can’t do any tricks either.
note: when tampoco comes before the verb, we don’t use no
  • after the verb (without a direct object)
Examples:
Amapola duerme también en la cama con Catalina. Amapola also sleeps in the bed with Catalina.
Girasol no duerme tampoco en el sofá. Girasol doesn’t sleep on the couch either.
note: no comes before the verb when tampoco follows it
  • at the end of the sentence
Examples:
Catalina tiene un gato llamado Girasol también. Catalina also has a cat named Girasol.
Girasol no sabe hacer ningún truco tampoco. Girasol can’t do any tricks either.

→ Check out our page on también vs. tampoco.

The adverbs siempre and nunca

The adverb siemprealways appears in affirmative sentences and the adverb nunca (or jamás)never appears in negative sentences.

Siempre and nunca can occupy one of three possible positions:

  • before the verb
Examples:
Amapola siempre tiene ganas de jugar. Amapola always wants to play.
Girasol nunca sale a la calle. Girasol never goes outside.
note: when nunca comes before the verb, we don’t use no
  • after the verb (without a direct object)
Examples:
Amapola ha comido siempre bien. Amapola has always eaten well.
Girasol no ha salido nunca en la calle. Girasol has never been outside.
note: no comes before the verb when nunca follows it
  • at the end of the sentence
Examples:
Amapola tiene ganas de jugar siempre. Amapola always wants to play.
Girasol no sale a la calle nunca. Girasol never goes outside.

Adverbs of place

Adverbs of place (los adverbios de lugar) come after the verb.

Example:
Vivimos cerca del parque. We live near the park.

If the verb takes a direct object, the adverb is placed after it.

Example:
Amapola esconde un hueso junto a un árbol. Amapola hides a bone next to a tree.

The adverbs aquíhere, allíthere, allá(over) there are more flexible; they can come before or after the verb.

Examples:
Aquí está la correa de Amapola. Here is Amapola’s leash.
La correa de Amapola está aquí. Amapola’s leash is here.

Adverbs of time

Adverbs of time also have flexible placement; they can come at the beginning of the sentence, after the verb or at the end of the sentence.

Examples:
Ayer estuvieron aprendiendo algunos trucos. Yesterday, they were learning some tricks.
Salen a pasear diariamente por el parque. They go for a walk in the park every day.
Catalina ha adoptado a su perra Amapola recientemente. Caralina adopted her dog Amapola recently.

Note

When the sentence contains a verb with a direct object, the adverb of time cannot separate the two. In this case, we place the adverb of time at the beginning or end of the sentence.

Examples:
Últimamente Girasol bebe leche.
Girasol bebe leche últimamente. Girasol has been drinking milk lately.
not: Girasol bebe últimamente leche.