Inklingo

How to Say "chiefly" in Spanish

English → Spanish

mayormente

mah-yor-MEN-tehmaʝoɾˈmente

adverbB1formal
Use 'mayormente' when 'chiefly' means 'for the most part' or 'in the majority of cases', often referring to the composition of a group or the prevalence of something.
A basket full of shiny red apples with a single green apple tucked into the corner.

Examples

El público estaba compuesto mayormente por jóvenes.

The audience was mostly made up of young people.

La película me gustó mayormente por la música.

I liked the movie mainly because of the music.

En esta región, el clima es mayormente seco.

In this region, the climate is mostly dry.

Creating Adverbs

Spanish creates many adverbs (words that describe how or how much) by adding '-mente' to the feminine form of an adjective. Since 'mayor' ends in a consonant, you just add '-mente' directly to it.

Where to Put It

You can place 'mayormente' before the word it describes (like an adjective or another adverb) or after a verb to clarify that the action happens 'mostly' in a certain way.

Mayor vs. Mayormente

Mistake: “El grupo era mayor de estudiantes.”

Correction: El grupo era mayormente de estudiantes.

principalmente

prin-ci-pal-MEN-tehpɾinsipalˈmente

adverbB1formal
Choose 'principalmente' when 'chiefly' refers to the main topic, focus, or purpose of something, indicating the primary subject.
A large, brightly glowing red star sits in the center, drawing all attention, surrounded by several small, dull gray pebbles scattered on the ground.

Examples

El informe trata principalmente de los efectos del cambio climático en la agricultura.

The report deals primarily with the effects of climate change on agriculture.

Comemos principalmente frutas y verduras para mantenernos saludables.

We eat mainly fruits and vegetables to stay healthy.

Viajamos a España principalmente para visitar a la familia, pero también para ver los museos.

We traveled to Spain principally to visit family, but also to see the museums.

The '-mente' Adverb Pattern

This word is formed from the adjective 'principal' (main) plus the ending '-mente'. Adverbs ending in '-mente' are like English adverbs ending in '-ly' (e.g., 'quickly', 'slowly').

Always Invariable

As an adverb, 'principalmente' always stays the same. It does not change its ending to match the gender or number of the noun it relates to.

Confusing Adjective and Adverb

Mistake: “La razón principalemente...”

Correction: La razón principal... (The main reason...) or La razón es principalmente... (The reason is primarily...). Remember, '-mente' is for describing how something happens, not for describing a noun.

Choosing Between 'Mayormente' and 'Principalmente'

Learners often confuse 'mayormente' and 'principalmente' because both can translate to 'mostly' or 'mainly'. Remember that 'mayormente' often refers to quantity or composition, while 'principalmente' points to the main subject or focus.

Related Translations

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