Inklingo

How to Say "fully" in Spanish

English → Spanish

completamente

/kom-pleh-tah-men-teh//komˌple.taˈmen.te/

AdverbA2General
Use 'completamente' when emphasizing the entirety or completion of a state, quantity, or action, often implying a thoroughness.
A clear glass jar filled completely to the very top with bright red liquid, contrasting with an empty jar nearby to emphasize the state of being 100% full.

Examples

El vaso está completamente vacío.

The glass is completely empty.

Estoy completamente seguro de mi respuesta.

I am completely sure of my answer.

Olvidé completamente su cumpleaños.

I completely forgot his birthday.

What is an Adverb?

Words like 'completamente' are adverbs. They describe how an action is done or add intensity to another word. Think of them as adding detail, like saying 'run quickly' instead of just 'run'.

The '-mente' Trick

In Spanish, you can often turn an adjective (a describing word) into an adverb by adding '-mente' to the end of its feminine form. 'Completa' (complete) becomes 'completamente' (completely). It's just like adding '-ly' in English!

Placement Matters

Mistake: “Using 'completo' instead of 'completamente'. For example, 'Estoy completo seguro.'”

Correction: The correct way is 'Estoy completamente seguro.' You need the '-mente' ending to describe *how* you feel (completely sure), not just to describe a thing.

totalmente

/toh-tahl-men-teh//toˌtalˈmente/

AdverbA2General
Use 'totalmente' when stressing the absolute or undivided nature of something, often referring to a complete lack of something or an undivided commitment.
A clear glass jar completely filled to the very top with colorful, bright marbles, illustrating the concept of being full to the maximum extent.

Examples

La habitación estaba totalmente a oscuras.

The room was completely dark.

Olvidé totalmente que hoy era tu cumpleaños.

I totally forgot that today was your birthday.

El proyecto está totalmente terminado.

The project is fully finished.

What is an Adverb?

An adverb is a word that describes an action (verb) or adds more detail to a descriptive word (adjective). 'Totalmente' tells you 'how much' or 'to what extent' something is done or is.

Making '-mente' Adverbs

In Spanish, you can turn many descriptive words into adverbs by adding '-mente'. Just take the feminine form of the word and add '-mente'. For example, 'total' (which is the same for masculine and feminine) becomes 'totalmente'.

Word Order

Mistake: “Estoy de acuerdo totalmente.”

Correction: Estoy totalmente de acuerdo. While the first version isn't strictly wrong, it's much more natural to place 'totalmente' right before the word it's describing ('de acuerdo').

Completamente vs. Totalmente

Learners often wonder if there's a strict rule between 'completamente' and 'totalmente'. In most everyday situations, they are interchangeable. Don't overthink it; choose the one that sounds more natural in context, or default to 'completamente' if unsure.

Related Translations

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