Like other adverbs, the adverbs of quantity can affect the meanings of verbs, adjectives, other adverbs and occasionally entire sentences. As noted below, many of the adverbs of quantity can also serve as adjectives. When they're adjectives, they can vary with gender and number, while the adverb is always the same as the singular masculine form of the adjective. (This rule is sometimes violated in casual speech, and you may occasionally hear an adjective change to match the adjective it refers to. This grammatical tendency is considered substandard and is best not imitated.) For example, while poco is an adverb, the adjective can be poco, poca, pocos or pocas.
Here are some of the common adverbs of quantity along with sample sentences and possible translations:
Además (additionally, besides): This word typically refers to a verb or an entire sentence and is often used in the phrase además de
- Y además es imposible. And furthermore it's impossible.
- La comisión estudia además la creación de una junta consultiva. The commission is additionally studying the creation of an advisory board.
- Además de casino, Santa Fe ahora tiene shopping. In addition to having a casino, Sante Fe now has shopping.
- Además ¿qué es lo que podemos hacer allí? Besides, what can we do there?
- Además, Raúl duerme en una habitación hipobárica para aumentar su rendimiento. In addition, Raul sleeps in a hyperbaric chamber to improve his performance.
Algo (somewhat, slightly): Don't confuse the adverbial meaning with its use as a pronoun meaning "something."
- Me siento algo vieja. I'm feeling somewhat old.
- El 23% dice que está "algo preocupado" o "muy preocupado" de que pueda perder su trabajo en los próximos 12 meses. Twenty-three percent say they are "somewhat worried" or "very worried" that they could lose their job in the next 12 months.
Apenas (barely, hardly):
- Toco la guitarra desde hace apenas un año. I have played the guitar for barely a year.
- Mi hijo apenas habla. My son barely speaks.
Bastante (enough, quite a bit): This word can also be used as an adjective or pronoun to mean "enough." As an adverb, it can have the meaning of sufficiency or to mean "considerably," depending on the context.
- Me parece que no estudia bastante. It seems to me he doesn't study enough.
- Es bastante inteligente y siempre tiene una respuesta para todo. He is quite intelligent and always has an answer for everything.
- La verdad es que cantas bastante bien. The truth is you sing quite well.
- Necesito saber de algún hotel bastante barato en Cádiz. I need to know of a sufficiently cheap hotel in Cadiz.
Casi (almost):
- Comenzó hace casi tres años. It began almost three years ago.
- Casi me rompí la mano. I almost broke my hand.
- Su objetivo se había cumplido: ya era mucho más que "casi famosa". Her goal had been accomplished: She was now more than "almost famous."
- Ángela habla demasiado de su vida privada. Angela speaks too much about her private life.
- Creo que soy demasiado guapa. Muchísima gente me lo dicen constantemente. I think I am much too pretty. Many people tell me that constantly.
- Es el libro más poderoso del mundo. It's the most powerful book in the world.
- En Italia funcionan más de 150 emisoras privadas. More than 150 private broadcasters operate in Italy.
- Nadie te quiere más que yo. Nobody loves you more than I do.
- Tienes que escoger cuál te gusta más de los dos. You have to pick which of the two you like more.
- La palabra hablada más importante es "no". The most important spoken word is "no."
- Soy el que más sabe de fútbol. I'm the one who knows most about soccer.
- Tenemos que ser más competitivos. We have to be more competitive.
- La pila está medio muerta. The battery is half-dead.
- Si la puerta está medio abierta, entonces la abre completamente. If the door is half-open, the open it completely.
- El Superman actual es menos poderoso que sus predecesores. The current Superman is less powerful than his predecessors.
- Yo pienso que la gente inteligente es menos feliz. I think intelligent people are less happy.
