terriblemente
“terriblemente” means “extremely” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
extremely, terribly
Also: awfully, dreadfully
📝 In Action
La película era terriblemente larga; duró tres horas.
B1The movie was extremely long; it lasted three hours.
Aunque no lo creas, el pastel estaba terriblemente delicioso.
B2Believe it or not, the cake was terribly delicious.
Necesitamos esto terriblemente rápido.
B1We need this terribly fast.
horribly, dreadfully
Also: awfully
📝 In Action
El equipo se desempeñó terriblemente en la segunda mitad del partido.
C1The team performed horribly in the second half of the game.
El cantante desafinó y sonó terriblemente.
C1The singer sang out of tune and sounded dreadful.
Ella se sintió terriblemente enferma después de comer el marisco.
B2She felt terribly ill after eating the seafood.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: terriblemente
Question 1 of 2
Which English word best captures the meaning of 'terriblemente' in the sentence: 'Mi abuela cocina terriblemente bien.'
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Formed by adding the Spanish adverbial suffix '-mente' (which comes from the Latin word for 'mind' or 'manner') to the adjective 'terrible.' The root, 'terrible,' comes from the Latin *terribilis*, meaning 'dreadful' or 'causing fear.'
First recorded: Medieval Spanish period, following the common pattern of forming adverbs from adjectives.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'terriblemente' always negative?
No. While its root means 'dreadful,' it is most often used as a simple intensifier, similar to how we use 'terribly' or 'awfully' in English. You can say something is 'terriblemente bueno' (terribly good).
Can I use 'muy' instead of 'terriblemente'?
Yes, in most cases where 'terriblemente' means 'extremely,' you can use 'muy.' 'Terriblemente' adds more dramatic emphasis and flair than the simpler 'muy.'