Explanation

Error Source

Germans normally use the same form for both adjective and adverb. This is not the case in English.

Example:

Die Antwort ist richtig. Adjective

Sie haben richtig beantwortet Adverb

In English the form changes.

The answer is right ( correct.) Adjective

You have answered rightly ( correctly) -- Adverb

Der schnelle braune Fuchs Adjective

Der Fuchs lief schnell- Adverb

The quick brown fox Adjective

The fox ran quickly Adverb

An Adjective tells us more about a noun.

The question here is: how is a thing or person?

A right answer

The quick brown fox

A beautiful girl

A careful driver

A slow car

An Adverb tells us more about a verb.

The question here is: how does a person or animal perform an activity?

Run quickly

Eat slowly

Drive carefully

bark loudly

sleep deeply

HOW TO FORM ADVERBS

1. Adjective + ly .

Adjective Adverb

careful carefully

loud loudly

right rightly

quick quickly

beautiful beautifully

nervous nervously

deep deeply

silent silently

soft softly

2. Adjective +ily

In adjectives ending with the letter y.

Adjective Adverb

happy happily

angry angrily

hasty hastily

thirsty thirstily

lousy lousily

3. Adjective + y

In Adjectives ending with le

Adjective Adverb

amicable amicably

terrible terribly

capable capably

charitable charitably

simple simply

horrible horribly

4. Adjective + way(manner)

In adjectives ending with ly (These adjectives look like adverbs but they are not)

Adjective Adverb

lively in a lively way (manner)

lovely in a lovely way (manner)

friendly in a friendly way (manner)

kindly in a kindly way (manner)

silly in a silly way (manner)

holy in a holy way (manner)

ugly in an ugly way (manner)

manly in a manly way (manner)

womanly in a womanly way (manner)

cowardly in a cowardly way (manner)

stately in a stately way (manner)

disorderly in a disorderly way (manner)

Irregular Adverbs

Adjective Adverb

good well

fast fast

hard hard

long long

low low

straight straight

extra extra

Your English is good. You speak English well.

Jimi Hendrix was a good guitarist. Jimi Hendrix played the guitar well.

NB Well is used as an adjective with the meaning IN GOOD HEALTH.

How are you today? I am well.

double Adverb forms

Adjective Adverb 1 Adverb 2 (different meaning) hard hard (fest, hart ) hardly(kaum)

near near (in der Nähe ) nearly (beinahe)

late late (spät) lately (in letzter Zeit)

John tried hard to pass the exam but he failed.

(with a lot of effort)

I was not surprised that John failed the exam. He hardly studied.

(almost not at all)

John is a Christian but he hardly goes to church.

( almost not at all)

So we NEVER say:

WRONG

Schumacher drives fastly.

Obama speaks English good.

Good students work hardly.

The bridegroom arrived lately for the wedding.

RIGHT

Schumacher drives fast.

Obama speaks English well.

Good students work hard.

The bridegroom arrived late for the wedding.

Sometimes an adverb is combined with an adjective:

The driver who caused the accident was horribly drunk.

The president was terribly sorry for his mistake.

What you said was absolutely wrong.

I am sorry, I was totally wrong.

He was finally sorry for his misconduct.

Bayern München won the match although they played terribly bad.

Sometimes an Adverb is combined with another Adverb

Children learn languages incredibly quickly.

The Chinese spoke German surprisingly well.

NB. We normally don't use Adverbs with the following verbs.

We use adjectives after these verbs.

The verb to be. I am happy, sad etc.

you are

She/ he/it /is

We are etc.

will be

have been, had been etc

Seem

look (aussehen)

get

feel

taste

grow

become

stay (Please , stay calm)

smell

keep (Please, keep quiet)

remain

The food tastes good.

You look good.

I feel good today.

Your perfume smells good