Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| buchstäblich | /ˈbuːxˌʃtɛːplɪç/ |
| wörtlich | [ˈvœʁtlɪç] (narrow) |
| im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes |
The choice of word depends on whether you are referring to the exact wording of a text or emphasizing that a factual event actually occurred.
Which one should you use?
wörtlich is used when referring to the exact wording of a text or speech, such as a literal translation. buchstäblich is used to emphasize that something is actually true in a physical or factual sense, often to counter a figurative expression. im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes serves as a more emphatic way to stress that a statement is not an exaggeration.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes is a formal way to say 'in the truest sense of the word'. buchstäblich and wörtlich are standard forms.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbuːxˌʃtɛːplɪç/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers sometimes use 'literally' as an intensifier for exaggeration, such as saying 'I literally died'. Using buchstäblich in this way in German can sound unnatural or overly dramatic. German speakers typically use it only for factual emphasis.
Did you know?
- The word buchstäblich is built from Buchstabe, which means 'letter' of the alphabet. Using it is like saying something happened 'letter by letter'.
- While 'literally' is common filler in English slang, buchstäblich remains relatively rare in spontaneous German street speech.
- To achieve the same emphatic effect as 'literally' without sounding unnatural, German speakers often use the word tatsächlich, which means 'actually' or 'indeed'.
Examples in context
- Nimm es nicht zu wörtlich.Don't take it too literally.This sentence is useful for the form wörtlich.Tatoeba #1904281 by Dejo, translation #1899412 by sysko
- Nimm es nicht zu wörtlich!Don't take that too literally.Tatoeba #2072576 by Tamy, translation #41924 by CM
- Tom übersetzt zu wörtlich.Tom translates too literally.Tatoeba #7554246 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #13047468 by araneo
- Er sagte wortwörtlich, dass er nie wiederkommen würde.He literally said he would never come back.
- Das Essen war im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes himmlisch!The food was literally heavenly!
- 31 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Julian are talking about a very crowded train.
- JuliaDer Zug war buchstäblich voll.The train was literally full.
- JulianKonnte man überhaupt noch einsteigen?Could anyone even get on?
- JuliaNein, es war buchstäblich kein Platz mehr.No, there was literally no more room.
- JulianDas klingt ja schrecklich.That sounds terrible.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “literally” translations and entries buchstäblich, wörtlich, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries buchstäblich, im, wörtlich, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
