realmente
/reˌalˈmente/
In Spanish, the word for 'really' is realmente.
The adverb realmente is used to emphasize the truth or reality of a situation, functioning similarly to the English words 'actually' or 'truly'.
Meaning: actually (adv)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is formed from the adjective real (real) and the adverbial suffix -mente, which is equivalent to the English suffix '-ly'.
Which one should you use?
While realmente is an adverb used to modify a verb or a sentence, the phrases ¿de verdad?, ¿de veras? and en serio act as interjections to express surprise or to request confirmation of new information.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/reˌalˈmente/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers sometimes incorrectly use realmente to mean 'very' (for example, to say 'really big'). In Spanish, it is more natural to use muy (very) or use realmente only when you are emphasizing the truth of the statement.
Did you know?
- The suffix -mente is derived from the Latin word mēns, meaning 'mind'. This suggests that in early Romance languages, an adverb expressed how something was done in one's mind.
- The word real can refer to 'reality', but it also means 'royal' in Spanish. Using realmente in a historical context could potentially refer to something pertaining to a monarch.
- In some Spanish dialects, ¿en serio? is not just a question of truth but a way to tell someone to stop joking, similar to saying 'cut it out'.
Examples in context
- Eso no pasó realmente.That didn't really happen.This sentence shows how to use realmente to negate the truth of an event.Tatoeba #1634585 by marcelostockle, translation #265232 by CK
- ¿Él realmente hizo eso?Did he really do that?This sentence uses realmente to ask for confirmation of an action.Tatoeba #1671897 by hayastan, translation #1667925 by fanty
- ¿Realmente le pasó eso?Did that really happen to him?This sentence uses realmente to ask if an event happened to someone.Tatoeba #2160695 by Shishir, translation #1505485 by somekinda
- Estoy verdaderamente feliz por tu logroI'm really happy for your achievement
- Este libro es realmente interesanteThis book is really interesting
- Creo en verdad que tienes mucho potencialI truly believe you have a lot of potential
- De veras, no puedo creerloI can't believe it, really
- No puedo creerlo, en serio me falta el alientoI can't believe it, I'm seriously out of breath
- 727 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and María are discussing a recent movie they saw.
- MateoLa película fue realmente buena.The movie was really good.
- María¿De verdad te gustó tanto?Did you really like it that much?
- MateoSí, realmente me sorprendió.Yes, it really surprised me.
- MaríaQué bueno que la disfrutaste.It's good that you enjoyed it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “really” translations and entries realmente, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries realmente, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
