mansamente
/ˌmansaˈmente/
The English phrase 'quietly' can be translated into Spanish, with mansamente being the default form. Wiktionary also lists despacio.
Meaning: producing little or no noise (adv)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| mansamente | /ˌmansaˈmente/ |
| despacio | /desˈpaθjo/ /desˈpasjo/ |
In Spanish, if you want to describe someone producing very little noise or moving with low volume, despacio is the common choice. If you wish to express the complete absence of sound more precisely than despacio, you should use silenciosamente.
Which one should you use?
While mansamente can mean 'quietly' in a literary sense, it primarily conveys the meaning of 'meekly' or 'submissively' in modern Spanish. Use silenciosamente to mean 'silently'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌmansaˈmente/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use mansamente to mean 'quietly' (low volume), but it actually describes a person's submissive temperament.
Did you know?
- The word despacio contains an unexpected connection to physical distance. It is a combination of the preposition de and the word espacio, literally meaning 'at space' or 'with space'.
- While mansamente means 'quietly' in a behavioral sense, it is derived from the word manso, which is used to describe a 'tame' animal.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, asking someone to speak despacio can be ambiguous, as it may be interpreted as a request to speak more slowly rather than more softly.
Examples in context
- Tomás cerró la puerta despacio.Tom shut the door quietly.This sentence shows how to use despacio to describe the manner of closing a door.Tatoeba #5041402 by don_ramon, translation #4132382 by CK
- ¿Por qué todos están hablando tan despacio?Why is everyone speaking so quietly?This sentence uses despacio to describe the volume of people's speech.Tatoeba #1809559 by marcelostockle, translation #1809563 by marcelostockle
- Habla en silencioSpeak quietly
- Por favor, trabaje en silencio.Please work quietly.
- Los estudiantes deben caminar en silencio por el pasillo.Students must walk quietly in the hallway.
- Por favor, habla más bajitoPlease speak more quietly
- ¡Quédate calladito/a!Stay quiet!
Example conversation
Elena is telling Daniel how the baby is sleeping.
- ElenaEl bebé se durmió mansamente.The baby fell asleep quietly.
- DanielQué bueno, ahora podemos descansar.That's good, now we can rest.
- ElenaPor favor, camina mansamente por el pasillo.Please, walk quietly through the hallway.
- DanielEstá bien, no haré ningún ruido.Okay, I won't make any noise.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “quietly” translations and entries mansamente, despacio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries despacio, mansamente, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
