Expressing quantity in Spanish
Quantitative adverbs like demasiado (too), bastante (quite/fairly), un poco (a bit / a little), mucho (a lot /much), tan (so), tanto (so much) and muy (very) express intensity. They can modify adjectives, other adverbs or a verb.
Adverbs are invariable: they don't need to agree in gender or number with the words they are modifying.
Have a look and listen to the following examples:
Demasiado (too)
La sauna es demasiado calurosa para mí.The sauna is too hot for me.
Estos plátanos están demasiado verdes para comer hoy.These bananas are too green to eat today.
Tú conduces demasiado rápido.You drive too fast.
Bastante (quite/fairly)
La discoteca del centro es bastante ruidosa.The disco in town is fairly noisy.
Os veo bastante tristes.I can see you are quite sad.
Recibimos a los invitados bastante efusivamente.We received the guests in quite a lively way.
Un poco (a bit/a little)
Eugenio es un poco antipático ¿verdad?Eugenio is a bit rude, isn't he?
La clase de zumba nos ha dejado un poco cansadas.The zumba class left us a little tired.
He pintado la pared un poco mal.I painted the wall a bit badly.
Mucho (a lot/much)
Anoche no dormí mucho y hoy tengo un examen.I didn't sleep much last night and I have an exam today.
Ella te quiere mucho.She loves you very much.
Tan ( so)
¡Conduces tan rápidamente!You drive so fast!
La escena fue tan emocionante...The scene was so emotional...
Tanto (so much)
No puedes comer tanto. Estás muy gordo.You can't eat so much. You're very fat.
No puedo gastar tanto. Necesito ahorrar.I can't spend so much. I need to save.
Muy (very)
Esther es muy estricta con sus hijos.Esther is very strict with her sons.
Creo que esas lámparas son muy bonitas.I think those lamps are very nice.
La recepcionista me trató muy educadamente.The receptionist talked to me very politely.
Notice how the adverbs are invariable: their form does not change when modifying masculine, feminine, singular or plural words.
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