seriamente
“seriamente” means “seriously” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
seriously
Also: gravely
📝 In Action
Ella me miró seriamente y me preguntó si estaba bien.
A2She looked at me seriously and asked me if I was okay.
Tienes que tomarte el trabajo seriamente si quieres un ascenso.
B1You have to take the job seriously if you want a raise.
Hablamos seriamente sobre el futuro de la empresa.
A2We spoke seriously about the future of the company.
severely
Also: badly, intensely
📝 In Action
El accidente lo dejó seriamente herido.
B1The accident left him severely injured.
La economía está seriamente afectada por la crisis.
B2The economy is badly (or severely) affected by the crisis.
Su propuesta seriamente compromete nuestros recursos.
C1His proposal seriously compromises our resources.
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: seriamente
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'seriamente' to mean 'severely' or 'intensely'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Formed by combining the feminine form of the adjective 'serio' (serious) with the suffix '-mente,' which comes from the Latin word 'mens' meaning 'mind' or 'manner.' So, literally, it means 'with a serious mind/manner.'
First recorded: Medieval Spanish period (as similar -mente adverbs)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'seriamente' the same as 'gravemente'?
'Seriamente' and 'gravemente' (gravely/seriously) are often interchangeable when describing injuries or bad situations. However, 'seriamente' is much more common and flexible for describing *how* someone does something (like 'thinking seriously'), while 'gravemente' usually focuses only on the severity of a situation (like being 'gravely ill').
Can I use 'serio' instead of 'seriamente'?
No, you must use 'seriamente' (the adverb) when describing a verb (an action). 'Serio' is an adjective used only to describe a noun (a person or thing). For example: 'Él es serio' (He is serious) vs. 'Él trabaja seriamente' (He works seriously).