Totally in Different Languages
Discover 'Totally' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'totally' is a small but powerful expression that holds great significance in the English language. It is often used to emphasize the completeness or extremity of a situation or feeling. For example, 'I am totally exhausted' means that you are extremely tired, with no energy left.
Beyond its literal meaning, 'totally' has become a cultural phenomenon, particularly in the context of the Valley Girl dialect that emerged in the 1980s. The term has since been adopted and adapted by various subcultures and communities, making it a versatile and ubiquitous part of the English vernacular.
Given its significance and cultural importance, it's no surprise that people might be interested in learning how to say 'totally' in different languages. After all, language is more than just a means of communication - it's a window into a culture's history, values, and identity.
Here are some translations of 'totally' in various languages, from Spanish to Japanese to Arabic. Whether you're a language enthusiast, a cultural explorer, or simply curious, these translations offer a fascinating glimpse into the diversity and richness of human expression.
Totally
Totally in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | heeltemal | ||
| The word "heeltemal" in Afrikaans comes from the Dutch word "geheel en al" meaning "completely and all". | |||
| Amharic | ሙሉ በሙሉ | ||
| "ሙሉ በሙሉ" also means "completely," "thoroughly," or "very" | |||
| Hausa | gaba ɗaya | ||
| "Gaba ɗaya" in Hausa is a compound of "gaba" meaning "front" and "ɗaya" meaning "one." Thus it originally implied that something is complete, with all its "fronts" (or aspects) having been "united." | |||
| Igbo | kpam kpam | ||
| "Kpạm kpam" in Igbo can also mean "suddenly" or "unexpectedly". | |||
| Malagasy | tanteraka | ||
| The Malagasy word "tanteraka" is derived from a word meaning "very much" and "to the end". In addition to "totally," it can also mean "completely," "thoroughly," or "entirely." | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kwathunthu | ||
| The word "kwathunthu" in Nyanja (Chichewa) is also used to mean "thoroughly" or "completely. | |||
| Shona | zvachose | ||
| The word "zvachose" in Shona means "completely" or "thoroughly", and is often used to emphasize the totality of something. | |||
| Somali | gebi ahaanba | ||
| The word 'gebi ahaanba' literally means 'to be on the back of something', implying that something is totally covered or enveloped. | |||
| Sesotho | ka botlalo | ||
| The Sesotho word "ka botlalo" can be traced back to the root word "botla", meaning "to finish" or "to complete", and is often used in the sense of "completely" or "thoroughly". | |||
| Swahili | kabisa | ||
| The word "kabisa" can also mean "very", "completely", or "thoroughly" in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | ngokupheleleyo | ||
| The word 'ngokupheleleyo' is used as an adverb meaning 'in a very complete, thorough, or perfect manner'. | |||
| Yoruba | lapapọ | ||
| "Lapapọ" is a Yoruba word meaning "completely" or "thoroughly" and can be used to refer to the degree or extent of an action or state. | |||
| Zulu | ngokuphelele | ||
| The Zulu word "ngokuphelele" also means "perfectly" and can be used to describe something that is both complete and flawless. | |||
| Bambara | pewu | ||
| Ewe | keŋkeŋ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | rwose | ||
| Lingala | totalement | ||
| Luganda | ddala | ||
| Sepedi | ka mo go feletšego | ||
| Twi (Akan) | koraa | ||
Totally in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | تماما | ||
| "تماما" refers to a state of utter completion, perfection, or totality, and may also convey a sense of absoluteness, certainty, or finality. | |||
| Hebrew | לְגַמרֵי | ||
| The word "לְגַמרֵי" is formed from the root "גמר", meaning "finish", and thus it means "completely" or "totally". | |||
| Pashto | په بشپړ ډول | ||
| Arabic | تماما | ||
| "تماما" refers to a state of utter completion, perfection, or totality, and may also convey a sense of absoluteness, certainty, or finality. | |||
Totally in Western European Languages
| Albanian | totalisht | ||
| The word "totalisht" in Albanian is derived from the Latin word "totalis", meaning "entire" or "complete". | |||
| Basque | guztiz | ||
| The word "guztiz" can also be used to mean "completely", "thoroughly", or "entirely". | |||
| Catalan | totalment | ||
| The word "totalment" in Catalan is derived from the Latin "totalis", meaning "whole" or "complete." | |||
| Croatian | potpuno | ||
| The word "potpuno" derives from the Proto-Indo-European root "*pet-", meaning "to spread" or "to fill". | |||
| Danish | helt | ||
| Danish 'helt' means 'completely' or 'entirely', and shares origins with the English word 'whole'. | |||
| Dutch | totaal | ||
| The word "totaal" in Dutch is derived from the French word "total" and also has the meaning of "overall". | |||
| English | totally | ||
| "Totally" was originally used in the 1800s to mean "in a very short time" (i.e., "he died totally") and not until the early 20th century did it begin to take on the sense of "completely" (i.e., "I totally agree"). | |||
| French | totalement | ||
| "Totalement" (totally) comes from the Latin "totalis" (whole, entire), which itself comes from the Indo-European root "tel-" (to lift, to carry). This root is also found in the Latin word "tollere" (to lift, to raise), which gives us the English word "toll". | |||
| Frisian | hielendal | ||
| The Frisian word "hielendal" comes from the Proto-Germanic root "hailag-," which also appears in Dutch "heel" and German "heilig" (both meaning "holy") and is thus not originally related to the Frisian "hiel" (whole). | |||
| Galician | totalmente | ||
| The word "totalmente" in Galician comes from the Latin "totaliter" and can also mean "completely" or "entirely". | |||
| German | total | ||
| The German word "total" originates from the Latin "totus" meaning "whole" and has been used in German since the 16th century. | |||
| Icelandic | algerlega | ||
| The word "algerlega" is a compound word deriving from its constituent parts, "all(t)" ("all") and "gerlega" ("thoroughly"). | |||
| Irish | go hiomlán | ||
| "Go hiomlán " literally means "into a whole" which captures the fullness of meaning that the word conveys. | |||
| Italian | totalmente | ||
| "Totalmente" is also used to mean "completely" or "thoroughly" in Italian. | |||
| Luxembourgish | ganz | ||
| The word "ganz" in Luxembourgish can also mean "very" or "completely", and is derived from the German word "ganz", meaning "whole" or "complete". | |||
| Maltese | totalment | ||
| The Maltese word 'totalment' comes from the French word 'totalement', but it can also mean 'completely' or 'thoroughly' in English. | |||
| Norwegian | helt klart | ||
| The word "helt klart" in Norwegian also means "very clear" or "completely clear". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | totalmente | ||
| The Portuguese word "totalmente" can also mean "completely", "utterly", or "entirely". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | gu tur | ||
| In Scots Gaelic, "gu tur" also means "completely" and "very much". | |||
| Spanish | totalmente | ||
| "Totalmente" also means "in a total way" and emphasizes the intensity of an action or characteristic. | |||
| Swedish | totalt | ||
| The word 'totalt' can also mean entirely, utterly, completely, absolutely, wholly, fully, or quite. | |||
| Welsh | yn llwyr | ||
| "Yn llwyr" is related to the word "llyw" ("guide"), and hence has the senses of "completely; entirely; as a whole". | |||
Totally in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | цалкам | ||
| Цалкам is a word in Belarusian that means "completely or entirely" and is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "cělkъ", also meaning "whole or complete" | |||
| Bosnian | totalno | ||
| "Totalno" in Bosnian also means "completely," "fully," or "thoroughly." | |||
| Bulgarian | напълно | ||
| The word "напълно" can also mean "completely" or "entirely" in Bulgarian. | |||
| Czech | naprosto | ||
| The Czech word "naprosto" originally meant "completely", but over time it acquired a colloquial meaning of "totally", expressing strong emphasis. | |||
| Estonian | täiesti | ||
| "Täiesti" also means "filled", which refers to its historical usage to describe containers such as a bottle or glass. | |||
| Finnish | täysin | ||
| The word "täysin" derives from the Proto-Finnic word "*täsi", meaning "full, complete". | |||
| Hungarian | teljesen | ||
| The Hungarian word "teljesen" originally meant "perfectly" or "completely" rather than "totally". | |||
| Latvian | pilnīgi | ||
| "Pilnigi" derives from "pilns" (full), and means "completely" or "perfectly". | |||
| Lithuanian | visiškai | ||
| The word "visiškai" in Lithuanian derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *wik- meaning "to separate, divide". | |||
| Macedonian | тотално | ||
| The word "тотално" comes from the French word "total" and can also mean "completely" or "entirely" in Macedonian. | |||
| Polish | całkowicie | ||
| The term "całkowicie" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "cělkъ", meaning "whole" or "complete". | |||
| Romanian | intru totul | ||
| The Romanian word "intru totul" derives from Latin "in toto" ('as a whole') and means 'entirely, utterly' or 'absolutely, downright'. | |||
| Russian | полностью | ||
| "Полностью" is cognate with "полк" (regiment) and literally means "in full formation". | |||
| Serbian | тотално | ||
| "Тотално" means "completely" in Serbian, but it can also mean "in total" or "in all". | |||
| Slovak | naprosto | ||
| The word "naprosto" in Slovak is derived from the adjective "naprostý", meaning "absolute" or "complete"} | |||
| Slovenian | popolnoma | ||
| "Popolnoma" is also used in formal Slovenian for "completely" or "fully." | |||
| Ukrainian | цілком | ||
| The word "цілком" can also mean "completely", "fully", or "entirely". | |||
Totally in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | সম্পূর্ণ | ||
| The word "সম্পূর্ণ" in Bengali also means "whole" or "complete". | |||
| Gujarati | તદ્દન | ||
| The word તદ્દન is derived from Sanskrit and it also means 'completely' or 'utterly'. | |||
| Hindi | पूरी तरह से | ||
| "पूरी तरह से" is the Hindi translation of the English word "totally", a colloquial adjective and adverb that can mean "completely" or "very", or can be used to emphasize a feeling or reaction. | |||
| Kannada | ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣವಾಗಿ | ||
| The Kannada word "ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣವಾಗಿ" can be traced back to the Sanskrit word "सम्यक्", meaning "completely" or "thoroughly". | |||
| Malayalam | പൂർണ്ണമായും | ||
| The word | |||
| Marathi | पूर्णपणे | ||
| The Marathi word 'पूर्णपणे' ('totally') is derived from the Sanskrit word 'पूर्ण' ('complete') and literally means 'in a complete manner'. | |||
| Nepali | पूर्ण रूपमा | ||
| "पूर्ण रूपमा" is equivalent to the English word "fully" and can also mean "completely" or "entirely". | |||
| Punjabi | ਬਿਲਕੁਲ | ||
| The word "ਬਿਲਕੁਲ" ('bilkul') is derived from the Persian word "bi-kull", meaning "without all" or "completely". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | මුළුමනින්ම | ||
| Tamil | முற்றிலும் | ||
| "முற்றிலும்" also means "full or complete", "entire" or "perfectly" in Tamil. | |||
| Telugu | పూర్తిగా | ||
| Urdu | مکمل طور پر | ||
| The word "مکمل طور پر" (mukammal tor par) is derived from Arabic and means "completely," "fully," or "thoroughly." | |||
Totally in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 完全 | ||
| In Chinese, “完全” is also used to mean “perfect” or “complete”, especially in a physical sense. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 完全 | ||
| The Chinese traditional character “完全” (totally) is a combination of “王” (king) and “玉” (jade), indicating the perfection of a king’s virtue. | |||
| Japanese | 完全に | ||
| "完全" can also mean "flawless" or "perfect". | |||
| Korean | 전적으로 | ||
| The word "전적으로" can also mean "wholly" or "completely", and is often used in formal or written contexts. | |||
| Mongolian | бүхэлд нь | ||
| Бүхэлд нь is usually used to modify actions, and implies that the action was completed to the full extent of the performer's ability. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | လုံးဝ | ||
| The word "လုံးဝ" comes from the Mon word "לון" and can also mean "entirely" or "all". | |||
Totally in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | sama sekali | ||
| "Sama sekali" also means "not at all" in Indonesian. | |||
| Javanese | babar blas | ||
| The phrase 'babar blas' literally translates to 'spread out flat', indicating the idea of something being comprehensive or total. | |||
| Khmer | ទាំងស្រុង | ||
| The word "ទាំងស្រុង" can also refer to the totality or entirety of something. | |||
| Lao | ທັງ ໝົດ | ||
| Malay | secara keseluruhan | ||
| The phrase 'secara keseluruhan' literally means 'in a whole way' or 'as a whole' in Malay. | |||
| Thai | ทั้งหมด | ||
| The word "ทั้งหมด" in Thai derives from the Sanskrit word "sarva", meaning "all" or "entire". | |||
| Vietnamese | tổng cộng | ||
| The word "Tổng cộng" comes from the Chinese word "总共", which also means "totally" or "in total". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | ganap | ||
Totally in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | tamamilə | ||
| "Tamamilə" is thought to be derived from Persian "tamamil" or Arabic "tamm", both meaning "full" or "complete." | |||
| Kazakh | толығымен | ||
| The word "толығымен" in Kazakh also means "completely" or "thoroughly".} | |||
| Kyrgyz | толугу менен | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "толугу менен" directly translates to "fully with". It emphasizes the completeness of an action or state. | |||
| Tajik | тамоман | ||
| The word "тамоман" is derived from the Persian word "تمام" meaning "complete" or "whole". | |||
| Turkmen | tutuşlygyna | ||
| Uzbek | umuman | ||
| The word "umuman" in Uzbek is a loanword from Arabic, where it has the meaning of "generally". In Uzbek, it has acquired the additional meaning of "totally". | |||
| Uyghur | پۈتۈنلەي | ||
Totally in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | loa | ||
| The word "loa" in Hawaiian can also mean "long" or "tall". | |||
| Maori | rawa | ||
| "Rawa" can also refer to a plain, a marsh or swamp, or the state of being stripped - as of leaves, or feathers. | |||
| Samoan | matua | ||
| The word 'matua' can also be used to mean 'heavy' in Samoan. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | ganap na | ||
| Ganap na derives from the Sanskrit "ganita" which means "complete", and also means "mature" and "finished". | |||
Totally in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | taqpachani | ||
| Guarani | totalmente | ||
Totally in International Languages
| Esperanto | tute | ||
| The Esperanto word "tute" originated from the root "tut" meaning "every, all, whole" and originally meant "completely, totally". | |||
| Latin | prorsus | ||
| The adverb "prorsus" can also mean "straight forward" or "without hesitation" depending on the context. | |||
Totally in Others Languages
| Greek | εντελώς | ||
| The word "εντελώς" is derived from the ancient Greek word "έντελής", meaning "complete" or "perfect". | |||
| Hmong | lig | ||
| The word "lig" can also mean "very" or "extremely". | |||
| Kurdish | giştî | ||
| "Giştî" is derived from "gişt" (night) and can also mean "darkness" or "obscurity". | |||
| Turkish | tamamen | ||
| The word "tamamen" is derived from the Arabic word "tam" meaning "complete" and the Persian suffix "-en" indicating totality. | |||
| Xhosa | ngokupheleleyo | ||
| The word 'ngokupheleleyo' is used as an adverb meaning 'in a very complete, thorough, or perfect manner'. | |||
| Yiddish | טאָוטאַלי | ||
| The word 'טאָוטאַלי' (totally) in Yiddish can also mean 'very', 'completely', or 'absolutely' | |||
| Zulu | ngokuphelele | ||
| The Zulu word "ngokuphelele" also means "perfectly" and can be used to describe something that is both complete and flawless. | |||
| Assamese | সম্পূৰ্ণৰূপে | ||
| Aymara | taqpachani | ||
| Bhojpuri | पूरा तरह से बा | ||
| Dhivehi | މުޅިން | ||
| Dogri | टोटल | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | ganap | ||
| Guarani | totalmente | ||
| Ilocano | naan-anay | ||
| Krio | ɔltogɛda | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | بە تەواوی | ||
| Maithili | पूर्णतः | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯄꯨꯡ ꯐꯥꯅꯥ ꯑꯦꯟ.ꯗꯤ.ꯑꯦ | ||
| Mizo | totally | ||
| Oromo | guutummaatti | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସମ୍ପୁର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଭାବରେ | | ||
| Quechua | totalmente | ||
| Sanskrit | सर्वथा | ||
| Tatar | тулысынча | ||
| Tigrinya | ፍጹም | ||
| Tsonga | hi ku helela | ||