literally
gb/lˈɪtɚəli/ us/lˈɪtɚəli/
B2
English
~ 8000
szó szerint, konkrétan
B2
1
szó szerint
B1
Usage pattern:
literally [verb/adjective phrase]
When I say the room was freezing, I do not mean it literally.
Amikor azt mondom, hogy jéghideg volt a szoba, nem szó szerint értem.
The word "bilingual" literally means "speaking two languages."
A „bilingual” kifejezés szó szerint azt jelenti: „két nyelven beszélő”.
He literally jumped out of his chair when the fire alarm went off.
The cave was so dark you literally could not see your hand in front of your face.
Her name literally translates to "bright light" in English.
Learner examples
This story is not literally true; it is just for fun.
Ez a történet nem szó szerint igaz; csak szórakoztatásnak szánták.
The sign literally says, "Do not enter."
A táblán szó szerint ez áll: „Belépni tilos.”
He literally ran for two hours without stopping.
The baby is literally asleep on the floor.
The word "century" literally means one hundred years.
Common mistake:
Learners often use "literally" any time they want to say "really" or "very," even when the statement is not true in a basic, factual way. For the strict meaning, only use "literally" when the words match reality exactly and are not just an exaggeration or comparison.
Meaning
in a non-figurative, exact way
Collocations
literally true
|taken literally
|meant literally
|translated literally
|almost literally
Synonyms
exactly (Focuses on accuracy in detail, not specifically on non-figurative meaning.)
|
strictly (Highlights following rules or definitions closely; slightly more formal.)
|
in a literal sense (Longer, slightly more formal phrase with the same idea.)
Antonyms
figuratively (Signals that words are used as a picture or comparison, not in their basic meaning.)
|
metaphorically (Emphasizes that the statement is a comparison, not factually exact.)
Themes
language
|communication
|accuracy
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Used to say that something is true in a basic, real way, not as a picture or comparison.
In a way that is exactly true and not figurative, exaggerated, or metaphorical.
B2
INFORMAL
2
konkrétan
B1
szó szerint
B1
Usage pattern:
literally [very strong or extreme phrase]
I was so embarrassed I literally wanted to disappear.
Annyira zavarban voltam, hogy konkrétan el akartam tűnni.
This is literally the best pizza I have ever had.
Ez konkrétan a legjobb pizza, amit valaha ettem.
She was so angry she was literally shaking.
I literally can’t even deal with this traffic right now.
We were literally stuck in that meeting forever.
Learner examples
That movie was literally amazing.
Az a film konkrétan elképesztő volt.
I am so tired I literally cannot move.
Olyan fáradt vagyok, hogy konkrétan mozdulni sem bírok.
This is literally my favorite song.
He was so happy he was literally jumping.
The class was so long it felt like it literally never ended.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this emphatic use is always wrong or may copy it too much from native speakers and use it in very formal writing. It is common in speech and casual writing, but many teachers and style guides say to avoid this use in formal or academic texts.
Meaning
used for strong emphasis, often nonliteral
Collocations
literally dying
|literally shaking
|literally the best
|literally cannot
|literally can’t even
Synonyms
really (Common informal emphasis; sounds less dramatic than "literally.")
|
totally (Very informal and emotional; similar level of exaggeration.)
|
seriously (Adds emotional weight and sincerity rather than exactness.)
Antonyms
loosely (Suggests the statement should not be taken in a strict or strong way.)
|
roughly (Signals that something is only approximate, not intense or exact.)
Themes
daily life
|emotions
|informal
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Used in informal English to make a sentence sound very strong, even if it is not exactly true.
Used mainly in informal speech to strongly emphasize a statement, even when the statement is not true in a strict, factual sense.
C1
3
szó szerint
B1
Usage pattern:
literally [translate/interpret/take] [something]
The phrase should not be taken literally; it just means that the team worked very hard.
A kifejezést nem szabad szó szerint venni; csak azt jelenti, hogy a csapat nagyon keményen dolgozott.
In this exercise, do not translate every sentence literally.
Ebben a feladatban ne fordítsd le szó szerint az összes mondatot.
If you read that rule literally, it would be almost impossible to follow.
The slogan, taken literally, makes no sense at all.
Students often misunderstand the joke because they interpret it too literally.
Learner examples
Do not take his words literally; he is joking.
Ne vedd szó szerint a szavait; csak viccel.
She translated the text literally and it sounds strange.
Szó szerint fordította le a szöveget, ezért furcsán hangzik.
Some people read this law very literally.
If you understand the sentence literally, it is not correct.
We should not follow the rule too literally.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this sense with the general idea of "true in real life." Here, the focus is on how words are read, understood, or translated, not on whether the situation is real or factual.
Meaning
according to exact word meaning
Collocations
taken literally
|translate literally
|read literally
|understood literally
|applied literally
Synonyms
word-for-word (Focuses specifically on translation or repeating text without changes.)
|
verbatim (More formal and technical; usually about repeating exact words, not about figurative meaning.)
Antonyms
loosely (Describes an interpretation or translation that is not exact and may change words or structure.)
|
broadly (Means in a general way, not following each word’s exact meaning.)
Themes
language
|communication
|education
Definition
Used to say that words are understood or translated in their basic, direct meaning, word for word.
According to the exact meaning of the words used, especially when talking about interpretation or translation.
Grammar
Dictionary form
literally
IPA
GB/lˈɪtɚəli/
US/lˈɪtɚəli/
Syllables & stress
lit - er - ally (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (lit)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: literally
- Plural: literallies
Word family
Forms
literallies
noun
Core family
literal
adjective B2
Negative and opposite forms
Advanced or less common
literalness
noun
literalism
noun
literalist
noun
Expressions
literally nothing
1/lˈɪtɚəli nˈʌθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
informal
not one single thing
Used to strongly say that there is not even one thing, or that nothing at all happened.
Examples
- There was literally nothing in the fridge when we got home.
- I did literally nothing all weekend and just stayed in bed.
- He said literally nothing during the whole meeting.
literally speaking
1/lˈɪtɚəli spˈikɪŋ/
fixed phrase
considering only literal meaning
Used before a statement to show you are talking only about the exact, basic meaning of the words.
Examples
- Literally speaking, this isn’t a law yet; it’s just a proposal.
- Literally speaking, the building is not in the city center.
- Literally speaking, they are not married, but they live together like a married couple.
not literally
1/nˈɑt lˈɪtɚəli/
fixed phrase
in a figurative, not literal way
Used to explain that words are only a picture or comparison, not true in a basic, real way.
Examples
- When I say I’ll kill him, I mean it as a joke, not literally.
- She said she was dying of boredom, but of course not literally.
- The house cost a fortune, but not literally a fortune.
quite literally
1/kwˈaɪt lˈɪtɚəli/
fixed phrase
completely literal, not figurative
Used to say very clearly that something is true in a basic, real way.
Examples
- The streets were, quite literally, empty after midnight.
- She was quite literally the only person in the office.
- The word he used quite literally means "child of the earth."
taken literally
1/tˈeɪkən lˈɪtɚəli/
fixed phrase
understood in a literal way
Understood using the basic, direct meaning of the words, not as a joke or comparison.
Examples
- His comment was meant as a joke, but some people took it literally.
- If these instructions are taken literally, they could be dangerous.
- The headline should not be taken literally; it is just trying to catch attention.