Adverbios de opinión y observación

Existen una serie de adverbios que nos informan sobre el punto de vista u opinión del hablante sobre una acción (viewpoint adverbs), o emiten algunas observaciones sobre ella (comment adverbs). Los adverbios de opinión y observación se diferencian de los demás adverbios en cuanto que no informan de cómo, dónde o cuándo ocurre una acción. Estos adverbios modifican proposiciones enteras, no a los adjetivos, verbos u otros adverbios. Los adverbios de opinión y observación solo se diferencian por su situación en la oración. La mayoría de los adverbios que funcionan como adverbios de opinión pueden también ser adverbios de observación. Dicho esto, a veces uno de los usos es más común que el otro.

Situación en la oración

Los adverbios de opinión se colocan al principio de la frase o, con menor frecuencia, al final. Casi siempre se separan del resto de la oración por una coma. Los adverbios de observación se colocan antes del verbo principal salvo si es to be. En este caso, pueden ir antes o después del verbo y el significado será ligeramente distinto entre ambos casos. A veces, un adverbio de observación se separa del resto de la frase mediante comas pero no es lo habitual.

En los ejemplos siguientes, los adverbios de opinión y observación se muestran en sus posiciones correctas. Cuando la situación del adverbio es inusual, forzada o demasiado formal para el inglés hablado, se indica con un asterisco.

Adverbio de opinión u observación Al principio de la oración Antes del verbo principal Al final de la oración
clearly Clearly, he doesn't know what he is doing. He clearly doesn't know what he is doing. He doesn't know what he is doing, clearly.
obviously Obviously, you are acting silly. You are obviously acting silly. / You obviously are acting silly. You are acting silly, obviously.
personally Personally, I'd rather go by train. I'd personally rather go by train. I'd rather go by train, personally.
presumably Presumably, he didn't have time to go to the post office. He presumably didn't have time to go to the post office. He didn't have time to go to the post office, presumably.
seriously Seriously, I can't give this speech. I seriously can't give this speech. I can't give this speech, seriously.
surely Surely you tried to get here on time. You surely tried to get here on time. You tried to get here on time, surely.
technically Technically, we cannot fly to Mars and back. We technically cannot fly to Mars and back. We cannot fly to Mars and back, technically.
undoubtedly Undoubtedly, he has a good reason not to come. He undoubtedly has a good reason not to come. He has a good reason not to come, undoubtedly.
bravely Bravely, I kept on walking. I bravely kept on walking. *I kept on walking, bravely.
carelessly Carelessly, she threw her book into the pond. She carelessly threw her book into the pond. *She threw her book into the pond, carelessly.
certainly Certainly you should be there. You certainly should be there. / You should certainly be there. You should be there, certainly.
cleverly Cleverly, Sally hid the jellybeans. Sally cleverly hid the jellybeans. *Sally hid the jellybeans, cleverly.
definitely *Definitely, you are smart. You defintely are smart. / You are definitely smart. *You are smart, definitely.
foolishly Foolishly, they cried out. They foolishly cried out. They cried out, foolishly.
generously Generously, he donated the money. He generously donated the money. *He donated the money, generously.
stupidly Stupidly, they played in the street. They stupidly played in the street. *They played in the street, stupidly.
obviously Obviously, we are lost. We are obviously lost. / *We obviously are lost. We are lost, obviously.
kindly Kindly, she fed the cat first. She kindly fed the cat first. She fed the cat first, kindly.
luckily Luckily, you got here on time. You luckily got here on time. You got here on time, luckily.
fortunately Fortunately, we found the boat. We fortunately found the boat. We found the boat, fortunately.
naturally Naturally, you cannot be in the circus now. You naturally cannot be in the circus now. You cannot be in the circus now, naturally.
wisely Wisely, she stayed home to take a nap. She wisely stayed home to take a nap. She stayed home to take a nap, wisely.
confidentially Confidentially, I never gave him the envelope.   I never gave him the envelope, confidentially.
theoretically Theoretically, we could send astronauts to Mars. We could theoretically send astronauts to Mars. / We theoretically could send astronauts to Mars. We could send astronauts to Mars, theoretically.
truthfully Truthfully, I don't like chocolate much. I truthfully don't like chocolate much. I don't like chocolate much, truthfully.
disappointingly Disappointingly, she got fourth place. She disappointingly got fourth place. She got fourth place, disappointingly.
thoughtfully Thoughtfully, I turned away. I thoughtfully turned away. I turned away, thoughtfully.
simply *Simply, I don't want to come. I simply don't want to come.  
unbelievably Unbelievably, she showed up late again. She unbelievably showed up late again. She showed up late again, unbelievably.
unfortunately Unfortunately, there is no more room. There is unfortunately no more room. / There unfortunately is no more room. There is no more room, unfortunately.