Adverbs can be divided into two classes, primary and derivative.
The derivative adverbs are made by adding the suffix -mente to adjectives. In the process of adding -mente the final vowel of the adjective may change, or the vowel -a- may be inserted if the adjective ends with a consonant.
rápido, rápidamente
rapid, rapidly
spesial, spesialmente
special, specially
dirèkt, direktamente
direct, directly
Primary adverbs are not derived from adjectives or other types of words. Here are a few examples.
awor : now
nunka : never
pronto : soon
semper : always
ya : already
Comparison
Adverbs, like adjectives, have a comparative form made with mas and superlative form made with di mas.
lihé, mas lihé, di mas lihé
fast, faster, fastest
E ta kuri lihé.
He runs fast.
Pedro ta kuri mas lihé ku mi.
Pedro runs faster than I.
E ta kuri di mas lihé ku tur.
He runs the fastest of all / he runs faster than all.
NOTE: Some speakers use the variant kore instead of kuri for "to run."
References:
Blankenburg, Eleanor Basic Papiamentu Grammar for English Speakers 1986
Goilo, E.R. Papaimentu Textbook, ninth edition 1994
Ratzlaff, Betty English-Papiamentu Bilingual Dictionary, first edition 1992
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