How to Say "literally" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “literally” is “literalmente” — use this when you mean 'exactly as written or said,' emphasizing precision and faithfulness to the original words.
literalmente
lee-teh-rahl-MEHN-tehliteɾalˈmente
Examples
El profesor pidió que el ensayo fuera copiado literalmente.
The teacher asked that the essay be copied literally.
El documento debe ser traducido literalmente para que sea legal.
The document must be translated literally for it to be legal.
Siga las instrucciones literalmente y no habrá errores.
Follow the instructions exactly, and there won't be errors.
Adverb Formation
Most Spanish adverbs that describe 'how' something is done are formed by adding the ending '-mente' to the feminine form of an adjective (in this case, 'literal' + '-mente').
propiamente
pro-pya-MEN-tepɾopjaˈmente
Examples
No es un río propiamente dicho, sino un arroyo muy ancho.
It's not a river strictly speaking, but a very wide stream.
Esto no es un bosque propiamente dicho, sino un parque grande.
Strictly speaking, this isn't a forest, but a large park.
Para hablar propiamente, tendríamos que analizar los datos primero.
To speak accurately, we would have to analyze the data first.
La película no es de terror propiamente, es más un suspenso.
The movie isn't strictly horror; it's more of a thriller.
The '-mente' Ending
This word is formed by adding '-mente' to the adjective 'propia.' In Spanish, this is the standard way to turn a description word into an action-describing word, similar to adding '-ly' in English.
Placement for Emphasis
When you want to clarify a definition, 'propiamente' usually follows the noun it is describing, often paired with 'dicho' (said).
Don't use it for 'Good Behavior'
Mistake: “No te portaste propiamente.”
Correction: No te portaste bien.
Literal vs. Proper Meaning
Related Translations
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