en fait
/ɑ̃ fɛ/
The English word 'actually' can be translated into French as en fait. Wiktionary also lists effectivement.
Meaning: In act or in fact, really, in truth, positively (adv)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| en fait | /ɑ̃ fɛ/ /ɑ̃ fɛt/ |
| effectivement | /e.fɛk.tiv.mɑ̃/ |
en fait is used to express that something is in act, in truth or in reality. You can place en fait at the beginning of a sentence to introduce a correction, or at the end of a sentence to add emphasis to a statement.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase en fait is composed of the preposition en (in) and the noun fait (fact/deed).
Which one should you use?
While en fait is used to correct a misconception or introduce a surprising truth, effectivement is used to confirm that something is true or as expected. The form effectivement is considered rare.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɑ̃ fɛ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use actuellement to mean 'actually', but actuellement actually means 'currently'.
Did you know?
- In spoken French, en fait is frequently used as a filler word similar to 'like' or 'actually' in English, even when no correction is being made.
- Using en fait too many times in a single paragraph is often criticized by French teachers as a sign of poor style or 'tic de langage'.
- The word fait in en fait comes from the Latin 'factum', which means 'a thing done'. This makes the phrase literally mean 'in the thing done'.
Examples in context
- J'aime ça, en fait.I actually like that.This sentence shows how to use en fait at the end of a sentence for emphasis.Tatoeba #6556182 by Aiji, translation #4999947 by CK
- En fait, tu as raison.Actually, you're right.This sentence shows how to use en fait at the beginning of a sentence to introduce a correction.Tatoeba #1498184 by martin9, translation #3444896 by LishaR
- En fait tu te trompes.You're actually wrong.Tatoeba #7668591 by tras, translation #5090695 by CK
- En réalité, je ne peux pas assister à la réunion aujourd'hui.Actually, I cannot attend the meeting today.
- En réalité, l'étude démontre une tout autre perspective.Actually, the study demonstrates a completely different perspective.
- En fait, je ne peux pas venir à la fête ce soir.Actually, I can't come to the party tonight.
- J'ai vu ce film hier et, en fait, c'était vraiment bien.I watched this movie yesterday and, actually, it was really good.
- Cela s'est effectivement produit hier soir.That actually happened last night.
- 117 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Chloé are discussing a movie they saw.
- GabrielTu as aimé le film ?Did you like the movie?
- ChloéEn fait, je l'ai trouvé un peu long.Actually, I found it a bit long.
- GabrielAh bon ? Je l'ai adoré !Really? I loved it!
- ChloéC'était beau, mais trop lent.It was beautiful, but too slow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “actually” translations and entries en fait, effectivement, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries effectivement, en, en fait, fait, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
