Adverbii

Adverbii are a class of words that primarily modify verbs, adjectives, other adverbii, or entire clauses. They provide information about how an action occurs, when it happens, where it takes place, how often, to what extent, or the speaker’s attitude. In many languages adverbii are invariable, lacking distinct endings for person, number, or gender, though there are notable exceptions.

Formation and inventory. Adverbii can arise in several ways. Some languages form them from adjectives by a derivational suffix or particle; others use standalone words. In English, many adverbii are created with the suffix -ly (slowly, quickly), while Romance languages often use suffixes like -mente or -mente-related forms (francamente, lentamente). Others are basic adverbs with little or no morphological change (today, there, never). Adverbii also include phrases and particles such as prepositional phrases used adverbially (in the morning), or intensifiers (very, extremely).

Functions and types. Common categories include adverbs of manner (how), time (when), place (where), frequency (how often), and degree (to what extent). Some adverbii function as sentence mood or stance markers (certainly, apparently), and others form part of adverbial clauses that express cause, condition, or concession.

Syntax and position. The placement of adverbii varies by language. They can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence, and placement often affects emphasis or scope. In many languages, multiple adverbii can cluster together or modify a single verb phrase.

See also. Adverbs, Adverbial phrases, Adverbial clauses, Degree words.