A simple illustration showing four identical red apples in a row, with one large, brightly glowing golden apple placed prominently in the center, indicating selection or special emphasis.

especialmente

es-peh-sial-MEN-teh

adverbB1

especially?most common usage,particularly?emphasizing a specific detail

Also:above all?when starting a command or priority

📝 In Action

Me encantó la película, especialmente el final inesperado.

I loved the movie, especially the unexpected ending.

Necesitamos ser muy cuidadosos con este proyecto, especialmente en los costos.

We need to be very careful with this project, particularly regarding the costs.

Especialmente, te pido que seas puntual mañana.

Above all, I ask you to be punctual tomorrow.

Los niños disfrutan mucho el verano, especialmente cuando van a la playa.

Children really enjoy summer, especially when they go to the beach.

Word Connections

Synonyms

particularmente (particularly)
sobre todo (above all)
principalmente (mainly)

Common Collocations

especialmente diseñado – specially designed
algo especialmente difícil – something especially difficult

💡 Grammar Points

Adverb Form

Most adverbs in Spanish that end in '-mente' are built by adding this ending to the feminine form of an adjective. Here, 'especial' is an adjective that stays the same for masculine and feminine, so the adverb is built directly: 'especial' + '-mente'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Placement Error

Mistake: "Poner 'especialmente' entre el verbo y su objeto: 'Ella habló especialmente de sus metas.'"

Correction: Try to place 'especialmente' before the word it modifies or at the beginning or end of the sentence: 'Ella habló de sus metas, especialmente.' or 'Ella habló especialmente de sus metas.' (The first option is often more natural for beginners.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Emphasizing the Start

You can place 'especialmente' at the beginning of a sentence to give strong emphasis to the whole idea that follows, meaning 'above all' or 'most importantly'.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: especialmente

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses 'especialmente' to highlight the *reason* for an action?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

especial(special (adjective)) - adjective

especialidad(specialty (noun)) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Are 'especialmente' and 'particularmente' interchangeable?

Yes, for most purposes, they mean the same thing and can be used interchangeably to mean 'especially' or 'in particular.' 'Especialmente' is often slightly more common in everyday speech.