ligeramente (spanish) - meaning, definition, translation, pronunciation

Part of Speech

The word "ligeramente" is an adverb.

Phonetic Transcription

/lixaɾeˈmente/

Translation Options into English

• Slightly
• Lightly
• A little

Meaning and Usage

"Ligeramente" is used in Spanish to indicate a small degree or extent of something. It can refer to a slight alteration, a minor effect, or a small amount of intensity. The word is commonly used in both oral and written contexts, but it tends to appear more frequently in written language, particularly in formal or descriptive texts.

Example Sentences

1. La casa está ligeramente decorada para la fiesta.
   The house is slightly decorated for the party.

2. La temperatura ha bajado Ligeramente en las últimas horas.
   The temperature has dropped slightly in the last few hours.

3. El coche se mueve ligeramente más rápido que antes.
   The car moves slightly faster than before.

Idiomatic Expressions

While "ligeramente" itself is not often used in fixed idiomatic expressions, it can be combined with other words to form useful phrases or contexts. Here are some examples:

1. Ligeramente por encima

2. El precio está ligeramente por encima del presupuesto.
   The price is slightly above the budget.

3. Ligeramente alterado

4. El informe está ligeramente alterado por errores tipográficos.
   The report is slightly altered due to typographical errors.

5. Ligeramente diferente

6. Sus opiniones son ligeramente diferentes a las mías.
   His opinions are slightly different from mine.

7. Ligeramente preocupante

8. La situación es ligeramente preocupante, pero no crítica.
   The situation is slightly concerning but not critical.

9. Ligeramente mayor

10. Su salario es ligeramente mayor que el de sus compañeros.
    His salary is slightly higher than his colleagues'.

11. Ligeramente cambiado

12. El diseño del producto ha sido ligeramente cambiado.
    The design of the product has been slightly changed.

Etymology

The adverb "ligeramente" comes from the Spanish adjective "ligero", which means "light" or "slight". The suffix "-mente" is a common Spanish morpheme used to form adverbs from adjectives, similar to "-ly" in English.

Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms: - Poco (a little) - Sutilmente (subtly) - Moderadamente (moderately)

Antonyms: - Totalmente (totally) - Completamente (completely) - Drásticamente (drastically)

In summary, "ligeramente" is a versatile adverb used to describe slight increments or changes, important for nuanced expressions in both everyday and formal Spanish.