Grammar book · Words and sentences
Adverbs
ተውሳከ ግሦች (adverbs)
Adverbs tell how, how often, how much, when and where. Most adverbs of manner end in -ly; adverbs of frequency go before the main verb; very, too and enough change how strong an adjective is.
Adverbs of manner: how?
Adverbs of manner say how something is done. Most are adjective + -ly: slow → slowly, careful → carefully, easy → easily. They usually go after the verb, or after the object if there is one: She speaks English well. He drives his car carefully. Don't put them between the verb and its object.
In Amharic
የአኳኋን ተውሳኮች አንድ ነገር እንዴት እንደሚሠራ ይናገራሉ። አብዛኞቹ ቅጽል + -ly ናቸው፦ slow → slowly, careful → carefully, easy → easily። ብዙ ጊዜ ከግሡ በኋላ፣ ተሳቢ ካለ ደግሞ ከተሳቢው በኋላ ይገባሉ፦ She speaks English well። He drives his car carefully። በግሡና በተሳቢው መካከል አያስገቧቸው።
| Adjective | Adverb | Example |
|---|---|---|
| quick | quickly | She answered quickly. |
| careful | carefully | Read the lease carefully. |
| easy | easily | You can easily get there by bus. |
| good | well | He cooks well. |
| fast | fast | Don't drive so fast. |
| hard | hard | They work hard. (hardly = almost not) |
| late | late | The bus came late. (lately = recently) |
- good is an adjective, well is the adverb: a good driver, she drives well.
- Some words ending in -ly are adjectives, not adverbs: friendly, lovely, lonely. Say in a friendly way.
- Verb + object stay together: She speaks English very well (not She speaks very well English).
- Please speak slowly. My English is still new.
- He finished the job quickly and well.
- She works hard to support her family.
- I can hardly hear you. The music is loud.
- Fill in the form carefully.
Adverbs of frequency and where they go
Adverbs of frequency say how often: always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never. They go before the main verb but after be: I usually take the bus. She is always late. With a helping verb, they go after it: I have never been there. You can't put them at the end the way Amharic often puts ሁልጊዜ early in the sentence; sometimes, usually and often can start a sentence, but always and never cannot.
In Amharic
የድግግሞሽ ተውሳኮች ምን ያህል ጊዜ እንደሆነ ይናገራሉ፦ always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never። ከዋናው ግሥ በፊት፣ ከ be በኋላ ግን ይገባሉ፦ I usually take the bus። She is always late። ረዳት ግሥ ካለ ከእሱ በኋላ ይገባሉ፦ I have never been there። sometimes, usually እና often ዓረፍተ ነገርን ሊጀምሩ ይችላሉ፤ always እና never ግን አይችሉም።
| Adverb | How often | Example |
|---|---|---|
| always | 100% | I always call my mother on Sunday. |
| usually | 90% | We usually eat at seven. |
| often | 70% | She often works weekends. |
| sometimes | 50% | Sometimes the bus is late. |
| rarely / seldom | 10% | He rarely takes a day off. |
| never | 0% | I never drive after midnight. |
| every day / twice a week | exact | I go to the gym three times a week. (at the end) |
- Before the main verb: I often cook. After be: I am often tired. After a helping verb: I can never remember.
- Expressions like every day, once a month, on weekends go at the end.
- never is already negative: I never eat pork (not I don't never eat).
- My husband usually works the night shift.
- The kids are always hungry after school.
- I have never missed a payment.
- We visit our cousins in Phoenix twice a year.
- How often do you go to church? — Every Sunday.
Degree: very, really, too, enough; comparing adverbs
very and really make an adjective or adverb stronger. too means more than is good or possible (a problem): It's too expensive, I can't buy it. enough means as much as needed, and it goes after an adjective or adverb but before a noun: big enough, enough money. Adverbs compare like adjectives: faster, harder, more carefully, better.
In Amharic
very እና really ቅጽልን ወይም ተውሳክን ያጠነክራሉ። too ከሚገባው ወይም ከሚቻለው በላይ ማለት ነው (ችግር ነው)፦ It's too expensive, I can't buy it። enough የሚያስፈልገውን ያህል ማለት ነው፤ ከቅጽል ወይም ከተውሳክ በኋላ፣ ከስም በፊት ግን ይገባል፦ big enough, enough money። ተውሳኮች እንደ ቅጽሎች ይነጻጸራሉ፦ faster, harder, more carefully, better።
| Word | Position | Example |
|---|---|---|
| very / really | before adjective / adverb | It's very hot. She drives really well. |
| too | before adjective / adverb | The music is too loud. You walk too fast. |
| enough | after adjective / adverb | Is the room big enough? He didn't study hard enough. |
| enough | before a noun | We don't have enough chairs. |
| comparative adverb | -er / more … than | She types faster than me. Drive more carefully. |
| irregular | well → better, badly → worse | He speaks English better now. |
- too is negative; very is not: The rent is very high (but OK). The rent is too high (we can't pay).
- too / enough + to + verb: too tired to drive, old enough to vote.
- Don't use very with a verb: I really like it / I like it very much (not I very like it).
- The apartment is nice, but it's too far from my job.
- My son is old enough to stay home alone.
- I don't have enough time to cook today.
- Could you speak a little more slowly?
- I really like this neighbourhood.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| She speaks well. | To describe a verb, use the adverb well. | |
| I always go to work by bus. | Frequency adverbs go before the main verb. | |
| He is old enough to drive. | enough goes after an adjective. | |
| I really like Las Vegas. | very can't describe a verb; use really or very much. | |
| She speaks English very well. | Don't separate the verb from its object. | |
| I never eat breakfast. | never is already negative. |
Practice
Each answer is checked as you go, with the reason. Nothing here is saved.
Adverb of “careful”: ___
She plays the krar very ___.
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose the correct sentence.
This box is ___ heavy. I can't lift it.
She is old ___ to get a driver's license. (one word)
We don't have ___ for everyone.
Comparative adverb: Please drive more ___. (careful)
He works ___. He's always busy.
Correct it: “I have been never to Reno.” → I have ___ been to Reno.
She runs ___ than her brother.