Puedes acariciar al perro suavecito.

Question

Shouldn't this be suavemente? Softly is an adverb here not an adjective?

Silvia Piriz · Accepted Answer

Hola Padraig O.
Great observation. In Spanish, apart from the adverbs ending in -mente (like suavemente = softly), it is quite common to use the adjective in its diminutive form as an adverb in colloquial speech.
That’s why we say:
Puedes acariciar al perro suavemente. (standard adverb)
Puedes acariciar al perro suavecito. (colloquial use with a diminutive)
Both forms are correct, although suavecito adds a more affectionate and familiar nuance, typical in everyday language.
In short: suavemente is the "pure" adverb, while suavecito also works as an adverb in this context, thanks to the flexible use of diminutives in Spanish.
Un saludo
Silvia