Inklingo

How to Say "at first" in Spanish

English → Spanish

inicialmente

/ee-nee-syahl-MEN-teh//inisjalˈmente/

adverbB1
Use 'inicialmente' when referring to the beginning state of something before a change or development occurred.
A tiny green sprout emerging from a small hole in dark, rich soil.

Examples

Inicialmente, el plan era viajar a España.

Initially, the plan was to travel to Spain.

No me gustó el libro inicialmente, pero el final es increíble.

I didn't like the book at first, but the ending is incredible.

El edificio fue diseñado inicialmente como un hospital.

The building was originally designed as a hospital.

The '-mente' ending

Words ending in '-mente' in Spanish are usually like English words ending in '-ly'. They describe how or when an action happens.

One size fits all

This word always stays the same. You don't need to change it to match the gender (male/female) or number (singular/plural) of the other words in the sentence.

Using 'inicial' instead of 'inicialmente'

Mistake: “El plan inicial era viajar.”

Correction: Inicialmente, el plan era viajar. (Use 'inicial' to describe a thing/noun like 'plan', but use 'inicialmente' to describe the timing of the whole situation).

originalmente

/oh-ree-hee-nahl-MEN-teh//oɾixinalˈmente/

adverbB1
Use 'originalmente' when referring to the very first or earliest version or state of something, often implying a contrast with its current state.
A tiny green seedling sprouting from a small pile of brown soil.

Examples

Originalmente, la casa era de color azul.

Originally, the house was blue.

Esta película fue pensada originalmente para niños.

This movie was originally intended for children.

Aunque vive en Madrid, ella viene originalmente de un pueblo pequeño.

Although she lives in Madrid, she originally comes from a small town.

The '-mente' Pattern

In Spanish, adding '-mente' to the end of a feminine description word (like 'original') is just like adding '-ly' in English. It turns the word into a way to describe an action or a timeframe.

Flexible Sentence Position

You can place this word at the very beginning of a sentence to set the scene, or near the action word (the verb) to be more specific. Both are correct!

Confusing 'Original' with 'Creative'

Mistake: “Using 'originalmente' to say someone is being creative right now.”

Correction: In Spanish, 'originalmente' almost always refers to time (the beginning). If you want to say someone is creative, just use 'original' or 'de forma original'.

Inicialmente vs. Originalmente

Learners often confuse 'inicialmente' and 'originalmente' because both refer to the past. Remember that 'inicialmente' focuses on the start before a change, while 'originalmente' emphasizes the very first, authentic version.

Related Translations

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