literalmente
“literalmente” means “literally” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
literally, word for word
Also: exactly
📝 In Action
El documento debe ser traducido literalmente para que sea legal.
B2The document must be translated literally for it to be legal.
Siga las instrucciones literalmente y no habrá errores.
B1Follow the instructions exactly, and there won't be errors.
absolutely, truly
Also: really
📝 In Action
Literalmente morí de la vergüenza cuando me caí.
C1I literally died of embarrassment when I fell (meaning: I was extremely embarrassed).
Estaba tan ocupado que, literalmente, no tuve tiempo de comer.
B2I was so busy that I literally didn't have time to eat (meaning: I truly had no time).
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: literalmente
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'literalmente' to mean 'exactly' (Definition 1) instead of 'absolutely' (Definition 2)?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word comes from the Spanish adjective 'literal,' meaning 'relating to letters or writing,' combined with the common adverbial suffix '-mente,' which comes from the Latin word for 'mind' or 'manner.' So, it means 'in a literal manner.'
First recorded: 15th century (as related forms)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is it okay to use 'literalmente' when I don't mean something is strictly literal?
Yes, absolutely! Just like in English, 'literalmente' is frequently used in Spanish to add strong emphasis or exaggerate how intense a feeling was, even if the action described (like 'dying of laughter') didn't actually happen. This usage is very common in informal speech.
Does 'literalmente' change based on the gender of the noun?
'Literalmente' is an adverb, which means it describes an action (a verb) or another descriptive word (an adjective). Adverbs always stay the same and do not change gender or number.