Ways to say it
| Swedish | IPA |
|---|---|
| verkligen | /ˈvɛrklɪɡɛn/ /-ɪɛn/ |
| egentligen | /ɪˈjɛntlɪ(ɡ)ɛn/ /ɪˈjɛŋklɪ(ɡ)ɛn/ (colloquial) |
| sannerligen |
In Swedish, verkligen is used to emphasize the truth or the degree of a statement. It can also be used as an interjection to express surprise or to request confirmation of new information, much like the English "really?"
What does it mean word for word?
The word verkligen is derived from verklighet, which means "reality".
Which one should you use?
There are different ways to express this concept depending on your intent. While verkligen emphasizes truth or degree, egentligen is used to mean "actually" in the sense of "in reality" or "to tell the truth". For a more formal and emphatic version, you may use sannerligen, which means "truly" or "indeed".
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈvɛrklɪɡɛn/
When do people say it?
When someone shares surprising news, Swedes often use the expression jaså? to express interest or mild surprise instead of using verkligen? You may also use säger du det? to express similar interest.
Did you know?
- The formal term sannerligen is built upon the root sann, which is the same root found in the English word 'sooth', as in 'soothsayer'.
- The word egentligen contains the root word egen, which means 'own'. This makes the word's literal structure feel more like saying 'in one's own essence' rather than just 'actually'.
- While English speakers often use 'really?' to show disbelief, using verkligen? in Swedish can sometimes sound overly dramatic or even sarcastic, depending on your tone.
Examples in context
- Är du verkligen Tom?Are you really Tom?This sentence shows how to use verkligen to confirm an identity.Tatoeba #4317358 by richke, translation #3819239 by CK
- Är du verkligen klar?Are you really done?This sentence demonstrates using verkligen to confirm a state of being.Tatoeba #4317392 by richke, translation #3426146 by CK
- Gör det verkligen ont?Does it really hurt?This sentence illustrates the use of verkligen to emphasize a sensation.Tatoeba #4328391 by richke, translation #3823643 by CK
- Är du verkligen säker på att du vill ta den vägen?Are you really sure you want to take that route?
- Verkligen? Ska du flytta utomlands?Really? Are you moving abroad?
- Jag tycker jättemycket om den här låten!I really love this song!
- 184 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Oscar and Maja are talking about a movie they saw.
- OscarVar filmen verkligen så bra?Was the movie really that good?
- MajaJa, den var verkligen jättebra.Yes, it was really great.
- OscarVad kul att du tyckte det.How nice that you liked it.
- MajaVi borde se en till.We should see another one.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “really” translations and entries verkligen, egentligen, sannerligen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries egentligen, sannerligen, verkligen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
