difícilmente
“difícilmente” means “unlikely” in Spanish (expressing that something probably won't happen).
unlikely
Also: hardly, with difficulty
📝 In Action
Difícilmente llegará a tiempo con este tráfico.
B1He's unlikely to arrive on time with this traffic.
Difícilmente puedo creer lo que me estás contando.
B2I can hardly believe what you are telling me.
El abuelo camina difícilmente después de la operación.
A2Grandpa walks with difficulty after the surgery.
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: difícilmente
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence means 'It's unlikely that she will win'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Formed by combining the adjective 'difícil' (from Latin 'difficilis', meaning 'not easy') with the suffix '-mente' (from Latin 'mente', meaning 'with a mind' or 'in a manner').
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'difícilmente' always mean 'unlikely'?
No, it can also describe the way an action is performed (with struggle) or mean 'hardly/scarcely'. Context tells you which one it is!
Is it more formal than saying 'con dificultad'?
Yes, 'difícilmente' sounds slightly more polished and is very common in writing, whereas 'con dificultad' is very common in everyday speech.
Can I use 'difícilmente' to mean 'hardly' like 'I hardly know him'?
Yes! You can say 'Difícilmente lo conozco,' though using 'apenas' (scarcely) is more common for that specific meaning.