How to Say "truly" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “truly” is “realmente” — use this when you want to express that something is genuine or factual, often to contrast a superficial appearance with the underlying reality.
Use this when you want to express that something is genuine or factual, often to contrast a superficial appearance with the underlying reality.
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Employ this when you want to strongly affirm the truth or authenticity of a statement, often highlighting sincerity or a high degree of quality.
Learn more →Use this informal phrase when asking if something is genuinely true or to express sincere agreement.
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Use this only when you mean something happened exactly as stated, though it's often used hyperbolically in Spanish to mean 'extremely'.
Learn more →rreh-ahl-MEN-tehre'al'mente
Examples
Parece tímido, pero realmente es muy divertido.
He seems shy, but in fact, he's very fun.
Pensé que la película sería aburrida, pero realmente me encantó.
I thought the movie would be boring, but I actually loved it.
Realmente lo siento, no fue mi intención lastimarte.
I'm truly sorry, it wasn't my intention to hurt you.
Connecting Contrasting Ideas
Realmente is perfect for setting up a contrast. It often appears after pero (but) to reveal the true situation: 'It seems X, but realmente it's Y.'
ber-da-de-ra-men-tebeɾðaðeɾaˈmente
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.)
de veras
Examples
¿De veras te vas a mudar a Japón?
Are you really moving to Japan?
lee-teh-rahl-MEHN-tehliteɾalˈmente
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.'
Confusing 'Realmente' and 'Verdaderamente'
Learners often confuse 'realmente' and 'verdaderamente' as they both convey sincerity. Use 'realmente' for factual truth or to reveal a hidden nature, and 'verdaderamente' to strongly emphasize authenticity or excellence.
Related Translations
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