Inklingo

How to Say "really" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “really” is “muy” — use 'muy' to intensify an adjective or adverb, similar to 'very' in English. It's the most common way to express strong degree.

muy🔊A1

Use 'muy' to intensify an adjective or adverb, similar to 'very' in English. It's the most common way to express strong degree.

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realmente🔊A2

Use 'realmente' when you want to emphasize the truth or reality of something, similar to 'truly' or 'actually'.

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bien🔊A2

Use 'bien' informally to add emphasis to an adjective, especially in spoken Spanish, similar to 'really' or 'very'.

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de verasA2

Use 'de veras' to express genuine surprise or to ask for confirmation about something's truth, often translating to 'really?' or 'truly?'.

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verdaderamente🔊B1

Use 'verdaderamente' to strongly emphasize a quality or action, implying sincerity or authenticity, similar to 'truly' or 'genuinely'.

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efectivamente🔊B2

Use 'efectivamente' to confirm that an action or situation happened as expected or stated, similar to 'indeed' or 'effectively'.

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literalmente🔊C1

Use 'literalmente' for extreme emphasis, often hyperbolically, to mean 'exactly' or 'in the most extreme sense', even if not factually true.

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English → Spanish

muy

mweeˈmui̯

adverbA1informal
Use 'muy' to intensify an adjective or adverb, similar to 'very' in English. It's the most common way to express strong degree.
An illustration of a volume knob turned all the way up to the maximum level, with sound waves coming out.

Examples

El café está muy caliente.

The coffee is very hot.

Ella corre muy rápido.

She runs very fast.

Estoy muy bien, gracias.

I'm very well, thank you.

What does 'muy' do?

'Muy' is a 'booster' word. You put it before describing words (like 'grande' or 'rápido') to make them stronger. It works just like 'very' in English.

'Muy' vs. 'Mucho'

Use 'muy' before describing words (adjectives/adverbs). Use 'mucho' with action words (verbs) or things (nouns). Think: 'muy' for descriptions, 'mucho' for quantities or actions.

Using 'muy' with things (nouns)

Mistake: “Tengo muy amigos.”

Correction: Use 'muchos amigos' instead. 'Muy' describes qualities, while 'mucho/muchos' counts things.

Using 'mucho' with descriptions

Mistake: “Estoy mucho cansado.”

Correction: Use 'muy cansado' instead. To describe *how* tired you are, you need the booster word 'muy'.

realmente

rreh-ahl-MEN-tehre'al'mente

adverbA2
Use 'realmente' when you want to emphasize the truth or reality of something, similar to 'truly' or 'actually'.
A person with a surprised, wide-eyed expression, with a bright exclamation point above their head to show emphasis or a sudden realization.

Examples

¿Realmente crees que es una buena idea?

Do you really think that's a good idea?

No estoy seguro, pero realmente parece que va a llover.

I'm not sure, but it really looks like it's going to rain.

Ella realmente no quiere ir a la fiesta.

She actually doesn't want to go to the party.

Where to Put 'Realmente'

You have options! You can place realmente before the verb (Realmente quiero...), at the start of the sentence for emphasis (Realmente, no sé.), or sometimes at the end.

A Classic Mix-Up: `Realmente` vs. `Actualmente`

Mistake: “`Actualmente` estoy cansado.”

Correction: `Realmente` estoy cansado. `Actualmente` looks like 'actually', but it means 'currently' or 'nowadays'. Use `realmente` when you mean 'really' or 'actually'.

bien

byenˈbjen

adverbA2informal
Use 'bien' informally to add emphasis to an adjective, especially in spoken Spanish, similar to 'really' or 'very'.
A magnifying glass making a word larger, symbolizing how 'bien' can intensify another word.

Examples

La película es bien buena.

The movie is really good.

Vives bien lejos de aquí.

You live very far from here.

Llegamos bien temprano.

We arrived really early.

A Stronger 'Muy'

Using bien instead of muy before another word often adds a little more emphasis, like saying 'really' instead of 'very'. It's very common in everyday conversation.

Placement is Key

Mistake: “La casa es grande bien.”

Correction: La casa es bien grande.

de veras

adverbial phraseA2
Use 'de veras' to express genuine surprise or to ask for confirmation about something's truth, often translating to 'really?' or 'truly?'.

Examples

¿De veras te vas a mudar a Japón?

Are you really moving to Japan?

verdaderamente

ber-da-de-ra-men-tebeɾðaðeɾaˈmente

adverbB1
Use 'verdaderamente' to strongly emphasize a quality or action, implying sincerity or authenticity, similar to 'truly' or 'genuinely'.
A single, perfectly formed, vibrant red rose sitting on a simple green stem. The rose is flawless and appears utterly genuine.

Examples

Ella es verdaderamente la mejor candidata para el puesto.

She is truly the best candidate for the position.

Verdaderamente, no pensé que fuera tan difícil.

Really, I didn't think it was so difficult.

El paisaje era verdaderamente espectacular después de la lluvia.

The landscape was veritably spectacular after the rain.

Adverb Formation

Most adverbs that end in '-mente' are formed by taking the feminine form of an adjective (like 'verdadera') and adding the suffix '-mente'. This suffix means 'in a [way]' or 'in a [manner]'.

Confusing Adjective and Adverb

Mistake: “Using the adjective instead of the adverb: 'Esta tarea es verdadero difícil.'”

Correction: Use the adverb when modifying an adjective or verb: 'Esta tarea es verdaderamente difícil.' (This task is truly difficult.)

efectivamente

eh-fek-tee-bah-MEN-tehefektibaˈmente

adverbB2formal
Use 'efectivamente' to confirm that an action or situation happened as expected or stated, similar to 'indeed' or 'effectively'.
A gardener standing next to a freshly planted tree with a watering can.

Examples

La ley no se aplicó efectivamente hasta el año siguiente.

The law wasn't effectively applied until the following year.

Describing the Result

This usage describes how an action was completed in the real world, rather than just on paper.

literalmente

lee-teh-rahl-MEHN-tehliteɾalˈmente

adverbC1informal
Use 'literalmente' for extreme emphasis, often hyperbolically, to mean 'exactly' or 'in the most extreme sense', even if not factually true.
A highly energized person radiating colorful energy while drinking from a simple coffee mug, showing extreme intensity.

Examples

Literalmente morí de la vergüenza cuando me caí.

I literally died of embarrassment when I fell (meaning: I was extremely embarrassed).

Estaba tan ocupado que, literalmente, no tuve tiempo de comer.

I was so busy that I literally didn't have time to eat (meaning: I truly had no time).

Hyperbolic Usage

In casual speech, 'literalmente' often loses its strict meaning and is used simply to exaggerate a feeling or situation, just like its equivalent in English.

Confusing literal and figurative use

Mistake: “¿Vas a explotar literalmente?”

Correction: This usage is okay if you mean it was shocking, but remember that 'exploding' usually isn't literal. If you mean 'really mad,' say 'Estás a punto de explotar de rabia.'

Choosing between 'muy', 'realmente', and 'bien'

Learners often confuse 'muy', 'realmente', and 'bien'. Remember that 'muy' is the standard for 'very' and should be used with adjectives/adverbs. 'Realmente' emphasizes truth or reality, while 'bien' is an informal intensifier, often used in spoken Spanish where 'muy' might be expected.

Related Translations

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