Definition: A word, usually an adverb, that has little meaning in itself but provides force, intensity or emphasis to another word.
The most common intensifer in English is "very." Its equivalent in Spanish is muy, which also is quite common.
Another common Spanish intensifier, ya, often can't be translated directly. For example, while puedes estudiar might mean "you can study," ya puedes estudiar might mean "you had better get studying." When used as an intensifer (it also has other uses), ya usually makes the meaning of the whole sentence stronger.
In English, "up" is used as an intensifier in phrases such as "to wait up," "to speak up" and "to hurry up." Some grammarians would classify those phrases as phrasal verbs rather than being examples of use of an adverbial intensifier.
Also Known As: partícula enfática or palabra enfática in Spanish. Another English term for "intensifier" is "intensive" (as a noun).
Examples: Intensifiers in these sentences are in bold: She is extremely happy. (Está sumamente feliz.) The test is unbelievably easy. (El exámen es increíblemente fácil.) I am very hungry. (Tengo mucho hambre.) What a man! (¡Qué hombre!) The sweet-toothed bear ate up the honey. (El oso goloso se comió la miel, in which se is a reflexive pronoun that acts something like an intensifier.)
