How to Say "softly" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “softly” is “despacio” — use 'despacio' when 'softly' refers to the speed of an action or speech, meaning slowly..
despacio
dess-PAH-syoh/desˈpaθjo/
Examples
Por favor, habla despacio. No te entiendo si hablas rápido.
Please, speak slowly. I don't understand you if you speak fast.
Tienes que ir despacio en esta zona porque hay niños jugando.
You have to go slowly in this area because there are children playing.
Ella abrió la puerta muy despacio para no despertar a nadie.
She opened the door very softly/gently so as not to wake anyone up.
Adverb Usage
Since 'despacio' is an adverb, it always stays the same (invariable). It modifies verbs, telling you how an action is performed: 'Correr despacio' (To run slowly).
Using the Adjective Form
Mistake: “Hablo lento. (I speak slow.)”
Correction: Hablo despacio. 'Despacio' is the word you need to describe the speed of the action, not the adjective 'lento' (slow).
suavemente
/swah-veh-MEN-teh//swaβeˈmente/
Examples
Ella cerró la puerta suavemente para no despertar al bebé.
She closed the door softly so as not to wake the baby.
El viento soplaba suavemente entre los árboles.
The wind was blowing gently through the trees.
Aplica la crema suavemente sobre la piel.
Apply the cream gently on the skin.
The '-mente' Suffix
In Spanish, adding '-mente' to the end of a feminine adjective is just like adding '-ly' in English. It turns a description word into a word that explains how an action is done.
Adjective vs. Adverb
Mistake: “Using 'Ella habla suave.'”
Correction: Say 'Ella habla suavemente.' While people sometimes use the short version in slang, 'suavemente' is the correct way to describe the action of speaking.
piano
/pee-AH-noh//ˈpja.no/
Examples
El violín debe entrar piano en el compás dieciséis.
The violin must enter softly (quietly) at measure sixteen.
La partitura indica que esa sección se toca 'piano, piano', es decir, muy suave.
The score indicates that that section is played 'piano, piano,' meaning very softly.
Dynamic Markings
In music, 'piano' means 'soft.' It comes from the full name of the instrument: the 'pianoforte,' which means 'soft-loud,' referring to the instrument's ability to play both.
Confusing 'despacio' and 'suavemente'
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