Adverbs of manner express the way in which an action occurs, such as in a slow, careful, or correct action. They can also modify adjectives and other adverbs to specify intensity, quality, or form. In Spanish, their meaning relates to Adverbs and to other functional groups such as the Adverbs of Place.

IdeaIdea	EjemploExample
Modifican verbos para indicar modo.They modify verbs to indicate manner.	Corre bien.They run well.
Modifican adjetivos para precisar una cualidad.They modify adjectives to specify a quality.	Muy lentamente.Very slowly.
Modifican otros adverbios para reforzar el significado.They modify other adverbs to reinforce the meaning.	Bastante despacio.Quite slowly.

Many adverbs of manner are formed by adding -mente to a feminine adjective, such as rápida + mente becoming rápidamente. This formation is very productive, although in colloquial speech the short form is usually preferred when it exists. The creation of these forms is studied in more detail in Formation of Adverbs.

IdeaIdea	EjemploExample
Un adjetivo femenino puede dar lugar a un adverbio acabado en mente.A feminine adjective can yield an adverb ending in -mente.	Rápida más mente produce rápidamente.Fast plus -mente yields rapidly.
La base suele conservar el significado general del adjetivo.The base usually preserves the general meaning of the adjective.	Claro da claramente.Clearly gives clearly.
La forma corta puede sonar más natural en el habla rápida.The short form may sound more natural in rapid speech.	Habla despacio.Speak slowly.

In addition to the forms ending in -mente, there are simple adverbs of very frequent use such as well, badly, thus, quickly and slowly. These forms are very common in conversation and often compete with longer variants depending on the region. Some of these lexical preferences relate to the Adverbs of Frequency and to the everyday use of the language.

IdeaIdea	EjemploExample
Bien es un adverbio simple de modo muy frecuente.Bien is a very common simple adverb of manner.	Canta bien.He sings well.
Mal también funciona como adverbio de modo.Mal also functions as a simple adverb of manner.	Dormió mal.He slept badly.
Deprisa y despacio son adverbios simples de uso común.Deprisa and despacio are common simple adverbs of use.	Caminó deprisa.He walked quickly.

The usual placement is to put the adverb of manner after the verb or at the end of the sentence. When it is fronted, the position serves to provide emphasis and shifts the focus to the manner of the action. These ordering guidelines relate to the Placement of Adverbs.

IdeaIdea	EjemploExample
La posición neutra suele ir después del verbo.The neutral position usually goes after the verb.	Habla claramente.Speak clearly.
También puede aparecer al final de la oración.It can also appear at the end of the sentence.	Terminó el trabajo cuidadosamente.He finished the work carefully.
La anteposición aporta énfasis.Fronting adds emphasis.	Bien canta.He sings well.

Adverbs of manner do not vary by gender or by number. The same form can serve for a feminine or masculine noun, singular or plural, because the adverb does not agree like an adjective. This formal stability facilitates its use alongside other categories, including the Adverbs of Quantity and the Indefinite Adverbs.

IdeaIdea	EjemploExample
No varían por género.They do not vary by gender.	Ella habla claro.She speaks clearly.
No varían por número.They do not vary by number.	Ellos hablan claro.They speak clearly.
La forma del adverbio permanece igual en todo contexto.The form of the adverb remains the same in all contexts.	Trabaja rápido.He works fast.

Adverbs of manner can be compared with more and than to express relative degree, as in faster than. Some adverbs have irregular comparatives, among them better and worse, which function as adverbs. The extreme degree is usually expressed with very or with a periphrasis such as do it as quickly as possible.

IdeaIdea	EjemploExample
El comparativo regular se forma con más y que.The regular comparative is formed with more and than.	Corre más rápido que yo.He runs faster than me.
Mejor y peor son comparativos irregulares de uso adverbial.Better and worse are irregular comparatives used adverbially.	Hoy trabaja mejor.Today he works better.
El superlativo puede expresarse con muy o con una perífrasis.The superlative can be expressed with very or with a periphrasis.	Hazlo lo más rápidamente posible.Do it as quickly as possible.

Manner adverbial phrases are fixed expressions that function as a single adverb, such as a duras penas or with care. Their form does not decompose freely and their overall meaning must be learned as a unit. These expressions coexist with simple adverbs and with the -mente forms within the same system of use.

IdeaIdea	EjemploExample
A duras penas expresa dificultad.A duras penas expresses difficulty.	Llegó a duras penas.He arrived with great difficulty.
Con cuidado expresa manera atenta.With care expresses attentive manner.	Abrió la caja con cuidado.He opened the box carefully.
Las locuciones adverbiales tienen valor fijo.Adverbial phrases have a fixed meaning.	Avanzó a duras penas.He progressed with great difficulty.

Adverbs of manner name the way in which an action is carried out and may derive from adjectives with -mente or from very common simple forms. Their usual position is after the verb, although fronting can add emphasis, and their form does not change in gender or number. With these guidelines, it is possible to recognize, form, and place adverbs of manner in Spanish with precision.