How to Say "awfully" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “awfully” is “terriblemente” — use 'terriblemente' when 'awfully' means 'very' or 'extremely' to intensify an adjective or adverb, like describing something as extremely long or difficult..
terriblemente
teh-ree-bleh-MEN-teh/teˈriβleˈmente/
Examples
El examen fue terriblemente difícil.
The exam was awfully difficult.
La película era terriblemente larga; duró tres horas.
The movie was extremely long; it lasted three hours.
Aunque no lo creas, el pastel estaba terriblemente delicioso.
Believe it or not, the cake was terribly delicious.
Necesitamos esto terriblemente rápido.
We need this terribly fast.
Adverb Form
Most Spanish adverbs ending in '-mente' are created by adding this suffix to the feminine form of an adjective (terrible is already feminine/masculine, so it stays the same).
Modifying Verbs
This adverb usually follows the verb it is describing, telling you how the action was done: 'jugó terriblemente' (played horribly).
Overuse of Literal Meaning
Mistake: “Using 'terriblemente' exclusively for negative actions when 'muy' or 'extremadamente' would be better for neutral intensity.”
Correction: Reserve this literal meaning for situations where the action was genuinely bad or awful, like 'jugó terriblemente.'
terriblemente
teh-ree-bleh-MEN-teh/teˈriβleˈmente/
Examples
Jugamos terriblemente y perdimos el partido.
We played awfully and lost the game.
La película era terriblemente larga; duró tres horas.
The movie was extremely long; it lasted three hours.
Aunque no lo creas, el pastel estaba terriblemente delicioso.
Believe it or not, the cake was terribly delicious.
Necesitamos esto terriblemente rápido.
We need this terribly fast.
Adverb Form
Most Spanish adverbs ending in '-mente' are created by adding this suffix to the feminine form of an adjective (terrible is already feminine/masculine, so it stays the same).
Modifying Verbs
This adverb usually follows the verb it is describing, telling you how the action was done: 'jugó terriblemente' (played horribly).
Overuse of Literal Meaning
Mistake: “Using 'terriblemente' exclusively for negative actions when 'muy' or 'extremadamente' would be better for neutral intensity.”
Correction: Reserve this literal meaning for situations where the action was genuinely bad or awful, like 'jugó terriblemente.'
fatal
fah-TAHL/faˈtal/
Examples
Ella cocina fatal, pero es muy simpática.
She cooks awfully, but she's very nice.
Canto fatal, pero me encanta la música.
I sing terribly, but I love music.
¿Cómo te fue en el viaje? — Me fue fatal.
How did your trip go? — It went awfully.
Adverb Form
When 'fatal' acts as an adverb (telling you how something is done), it keeps the same form, 'fatal,' and doesn't need the usual '-mente' ending that many Spanish adverbs use.
Intensity vs. Poor Quality
Related Translations
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