How to Say "initially" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “initially” is “inicialmente” — use 'inicialmente' when referring to the beginning of a process, plan, or time period..
inicialmente
/ee-nee-syahl-MEN-teh//inisjalˈmente/
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/
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'.
Initial vs. Original State
Related Translations
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