Recursio
Spanish from zero with Recursio Lesson 61 of 100 · Module 13

Lesson 61. How? Rápidamente

Step 1 · New words

10 words in this lesson

Tap 🔊 and repeat out loud. These words come back in the dialogue and the exercises below.

rápidamente
quickly
lentamente
slowly
fácilmente
easily
tranquilamente
calmly
perfectamente
perfectly
claramente
clearly
conducir
to drive
el acento
accent
la pronunciación
pronunciation
en serio
really, seriously
Step 2 · Grammar

adverbs in -mente; bien / mal and bueno / malo

Adverbs in -mente

Many adverbs come from an adjective: take the feminine form and add -mente, much like English -ly:

AdjectiveAdverb
rápido → rápidarápidamente — quickly
lento → lentalentamente — slowly
tranquilo → tranquilatranquilamente — calmly
claro → claraclaramente — clearly
perfecto → perfectaperfectamente — perfectly
fácilfácilmente — easily

If the adjective has one form for both genders (fácil, normal), just add -mente: fácilmente, normalmente (lesson 37). A written accent on the adjective stays: rápidamente, fácilmente.

In speech, these adverbs have two stressed syllables: the adjective’s stressed syllable and -men-. This doesn’t add a second written accent.

For speed, everyday speech also uses the shorter despacio (lesson 29) — “slowly.”

Bien or bueno

Bueno / buena means “good” and describes a noun. Bien means “well” and describes an action.

  • Es un buen profesor. — He’s a good teacher.
  • Hablas muy bien español. — You speak Spanish very well.

Likewise malo — “bad” and mal — “badly” (lessons 29 and 34).

Words in this lesson

Conducir means “to drive”; the yo form is conduzco. In some Latin American countries people say manejar. En serio means “really, seriously”: ¿En serio?

Hablas muy bien español. — You speak Spanish very well.

Conduce despacio, por favor. — Drive slowly, please.

Habla claramente. — Speak clearly.

Te comprendo fácilmente. — I find it easy to understand you.

Es un buen profesor. — He's a good teacher.

Step 3 · Dialogue

Dialogue

Listen to each line and repeat it. Try to understand it before you look at the translation.

Javier Nora, hablas muy bien español. Nora, you speak Spanish very well.

Nora ¿En serio? Mi pronunciación no es muy buena. Really? My pronunciation isn't very good.

Javier Sí, en serio. Hablas claramente y tu acento es bonito. Yes, really. You speak clearly and your accent is nice.

Nora Gracias. Pero tú hablas muy rápidamente. Thanks. But you speak really fast.

Javier Perdona. Voy a hablar lentamente. Sorry. I'll speak slowly.

Nora ¡Y conduces muy rápidamente! Conduce despacio, por favor. And you drive really fast! Drive slowly, please.

Javier Muy bien. Conduzco tranquilamente, ¿ves? OK. I'm driving calmly, see?

Nora Sí, ahora conduces muy bien. Yes, now you're driving really well.

Step 4 · Exercises

Check yourself

Listen. What did you hear?

1. How do you say “You speak Spanish very well”?

2. How do you make the adverb “quickly” from rápido?

3. Your friend is driving too fast. What do you say?

4. How do you say “He's a good teacher”?

Match each word with its translation

Build the sentence: “You speak Spanish very well”

Build the sentence: “Drive slowly, please”

Lesson summary

What you can do now

  • Say how: Habla claramente.
  • Give a compliment: Hablas muy bien español.
  • Ask someone to slow down: Conduce despacio, por favor.
  • Distinguish bien from buen: Es un buen profesor.

Key phrases of the lesson:

Hablas muy bien español.

Conduce despacio, por favor.

Habla claramente.

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