pero que muy/la mar de
Colloquial Intensification
Use 'pero que muy' and 'la mar de' before adjectives or adverbs for strong, informal emphasis.
How It Works
In Spanish, beyond standard intensifiers like 'muy' (very) or the -ísimo suffix, there are several colloquial expressions used to add extra emphasis in informal conversation. Two very common ones are 'pero que muy' and 'la mar de'.
1. Pero que muy
This phrase is placed directly before an adjective or adverb to intensify it significantly. The structure is fixed.
- Structure: pero que muy + adjective/adverb
The word 'pero' (but) adds a contrastive or defiant force, as if to say, "not just very, but really very." It dismisses any doubt about the high degree of the quality being described.
Example: No está bueno, está pero que muy bueno. (It's not good, it's really, really good.)
2. La mar de
This is an idiomatic expression that also functions as a strong intensifier. 'La mar' means 'the sea', so the phrase evokes a sense of vastness.
- Structure: la mar de + adjective/adverb
It's equivalent to saying 'awfully', 'extremely', or 'terribly' in English (e.g., terribly good). It is invariable and does not change for gender or number.
Example: Sus hijos son la mar de educados. (His children are extremely polite.)
Important Note on Register:
Both expressions are characteristic of informal, spoken Spanish. While you will hear them frequently in conversations among friends and family, they are generally inappropriate for formal writing or professional settings. In formal contexts, prefer using words like 'sumamente', 'extremadamente', or 'enormemente'.
Examples (6)
- El examen fue <b>pero que muy</b> difícil.
The exam was very, very difficult.
Word by Word: The exam was but that very difficult.
- Tu nueva casa es <b>la mar de</b> bonita.
Your new house is extremely beautiful.
Word by Word: Your new house is the sea of beautiful.
- Mi abuela cocina <b>pero que muy</b> bien.
My grandmother cooks really, really well.
Here, 'pero que muy' intensifies the adverb 'bien' (well).
- Nos lo pasamos <b>la mar de</b> bien en tus vacaciones.
We had an awfully good time on your vacation.
Similar to the previous example, 'la mar de' intensifies the adverb 'bien'.
- Después de la caminata, estoy <b>pero que muy</b> cansado.
After the hike, I am really, really tired.
- Compró un coche <b>la mar de</b> caro.
He bought an awfully expensive car.
Common Mistakes
Using these colloquial intensifiers in formal writing.
El análisis financiero resultó ser pero que muy revelador.El análisis financiero resultó ser sumamente revelador.'Pero que muy' and 'la mar de' are highly informal. In formal contexts like academic papers or business reports, use standard intensifiers like 'muy', 'extremadamente', or 'sumamente'.
Incorrectly forming 'pero que muy' by omitting 'que'.
La sopa está pero muy caliente.La sopa está pero que muy caliente.The structure is a fixed phrase: 'pero que muy'. The word 'que' is essential and cannot be omitted.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To use colloquial intensifiers like 'pero que muy' and 'la mar de', learners need to understand basic conjunctions and articles which form the building blocks of these idiomatic expressions. They must also be familiar with how adjectives function in Spanish, as these patterns serve to amplify the meaning of adjectives and adverbs in informal speech.
- y/o/pero/porqueBasic Conjunctions
The intensifier 'pero que muy' uses the conjunction 'pero' in a non-adversative, emphatic way, so understanding its basic use is essential.
Foundations - Adjective Agreement
These intensifiers are used to modify adjectives and adverbs, requiring the learner to already be comfortable with basic adjective usage and agreement.
Foundations
Related Patterns
- -ísimo/aAbsolute Superlative
Both are used for intensification. '-ísimo' is a standard grammatical suffix (bueno -> buenísimo), while 'pero que muy' is a colloquial phrase to achieve a similar effect (pero que muy bueno).
Level 1 - lo + Adjective/Adverb + queIntensity with Lo...Que
This is another advanced structure for emphasis. '¡No sabes lo difícil que fue!' (You don't know how difficult it was!) expresses a similar high intensity to 'Fue pero que muy difícil'.
Level 5 - qué/cuánto/cómoExclamatory Constructions
Exclamations like '¡Qué casa más bonita!' (What a beautiful house!) are another common way to express the strong feeling that 'la mar de bonita' conveys, though the grammatical structure is different.
Level 6 - -menteAdverb Formation
These colloquialisms often replace or intensify formal adverbs ending in '-mente'. For example, 'la mar de rápido' is an informal alternative to 'extremadamente rápido'.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
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