Inklingo

How to Say "really?" in Spanish

English → Spanish

verdad

/ber-DAHD//beɾˈðað/

Interjection / Tag QuestionA2Informal
Use 'verdad' as a tag question at the end of a statement when you are seeking confirmation or expressing mild surprise, similar to 'right?' or 'isn't it?'.
Two people talking, with a large, soft question mark floating between them, indicating one is asking for confirmation from the other.

Examples

Hace mucho calor hoy, ¿verdad?

It's very hot today, right?

Hace frío hoy, ¿verdad?

It's cold today, right?

Vives en Madrid, ¿verdad?

You live in Madrid, don't you?

—Gané la lotería. — ¿De verdad?

—I won the lottery. —Really?

The One-Size-Fits-All Question

To ask for agreement in Spanish, just add '¿verdad?' to the end of your sentence. It works for 'he', 'she', 'they', 'it'—everything!

Over-translating from English

Mistake: “Es bonito, ¿no es?”

Correction: Es bonito, ¿verdad? English has many different tags ('isn't it?', 'doesn't she?'), but Spanish often uses the simple and universal '¿verdad?'.

será

VerbB2Neutral
Use 'será' as a rhetorical question to express doubt or disbelief about something that has just been said or is happening, implying 'Could it really be?' or 'Is that possible?'.

Examples

¡Me gané la lotería! ¿Será?

I won the lottery! Could it be true?

Using 'verdad' for doubt vs. confirmation

Learners often confuse 'verdad' and 'será' by using 'verdad' to express strong doubt or disbelief. Remember, 'verdad' is primarily for seeking confirmation or expressing mild surprise (like 'right?'), while 'será' is for expressing genuine doubt or questioning the possibility of something.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.