Adverbs

Adverbs usually modify verbs, but can also modify adjectives, or other adverbs, giving more information about how an action is performed.
Many adverbs in Latin are derived from adjectives. In general, adverbs in the positive degree are formed by adding -ē to the base of the feminine form of the adjective (e.g., for celer ‘quick’, the adverb is celeriter ‘quickly’).
Some adverbs, however, have irregular forms and need to be learnt individually. For example, the adverb ‘well’ in Latin is bene.
They can express manner (e.g., fortiter ‘bravely’), place (e.g., ibi ‘there’), time (e.g., tum ‘then’), or degree (e.g., valde ‘very’).
Just like adjectives have comparative and superlative degrees, so do adverbs.
- The comparative form is typically made by using ‘-ius’ (e.g., fortius ‘more bravely’).
- The superlative form is typically made by using ‘-issime’ (e.g., fortissime ‘most bravely’).
Unlike English, in Latin, adverbs usually come after the verb they modify.
Be aware of the negative adverb non ‘not’, which doesn’t require a matching verb form like the negative imperative.