Truly in Different Languages
Discover 'Truly' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'truly' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, denoting sincerity, authenticity, and reality. It is a powerful word that adds credibility and emphasis to our statements, and has been used in various cultural and historical contexts to express deep emotions and convictions.
Throughout history, 'truly' has been used in oaths, vows, and declarations to signify a solemn promise or commitment. For example, in wedding ceremonies, couples often pledge their love and loyalty to each other 'truly, deeply, and sincerely'. This demonstrates the cultural importance of 'truly' as a word that conveys heartfelt emotions and unwavering commitment.
Moreover, understanding the translation of 'truly' in different languages can enrich our communication and cultural awareness. For instance, the Spanish translation of 'truly' is 'verdaderamente', which comes from the word 'verdad', meaning 'truth'. Similarly, the French translation of 'truly' is 'réellement', which means 'really' or 'actually'. These translations not only help us communicate effectively with speakers of other languages, but also provide insight into the cultural values and linguistic nuances of other societies.
In this article, we will explore the translations of 'truly' in various languages, from common ones like Spanish and French to lesser-known ones like Swahili and Hawaiian. So, let's delve into the fascinating world of language and culture, and discover how 'truly' is expressed in different parts of the world.
Truly
Truly in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | waarlik | ||
| The word "waarlik" in Afrikaans originates from the Germanic word "war", meaning "true" or "correct." | |||
| Amharic | በእውነት | ||
| The word "በእውነት" can also mean "in fact" or "indeed" in Amharic. | |||
| Hausa | da gaske | ||
| The word "da gaske" can also mean "in reality" or "for sure". | |||
| Igbo | n'ezie | ||
| The word “n’ezie” can also mean “in truth” or “indeed”. | |||
| Malagasy | tena | ||
| The word "tena" in Malagasy also carries the connotation of something that is authentically Malagasy. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | moona | ||
| In Nyanja (Chichewa), the word "moona" is used as an emphatic affirmative in addition to meaning "indeed". | |||
| Shona | zvechokwadi | ||
| The word "zvechokwadi" in Shona can also be used as an emphatic particle, similar to English "indeed". | |||
| Somali | runti | ||
| The Somali word "runti" likely derives from the Arabic word "ra'i" meaning "opinion" or "viewpoint." | |||
| Sesotho | ka 'nete | ||
| Ka 'nete' is an expression of emphasis, often translated as 'indeed', 'certainly', or 'really'. | |||
| Swahili | kweli | ||
| The word "kweli" in Swahili, meaning "truly," shares etymological roots with the Arabic root "qwl," meaning "word," and the English word "coil." | |||
| Xhosa | ngokwenene | ||
| The word "ngokwenene" can also mean "in fact" or "indeed". | |||
| Yoruba | iwongba ti | ||
| Iwongba ti' is a Yoruba phrase that can also mean 'precisely', 'exactly', or 'spot on' | |||
| Zulu | ngempela | ||
| "Ngempela" is derived from the verb "ukwempela" (to swear) and originally meant "in all seriousness". | |||
| Bambara | tiɲɛ na | ||
| Ewe | nyateƒee | ||
| Kinyarwanda | mubyukuri | ||
| Lingala | solo | ||
| Luganda | ddala | ||
| Sepedi | ka nnete | ||
| Twi (Akan) | ampa | ||
Truly in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | حقا | ||
| The word حقا (haqqan) in Arabic comes from the root ح ق ق (h-q-q), which means "to have a right, to be true". | |||
| Hebrew | בֶּאֱמֶת | ||
| "בֶּאֱמֶת" can also mean "faithfully, honesty" | |||
| Pashto | ریښتیا | ||
| The word "ریښتیا" also means "right" in Pashto, and shares its root with the word "ریښه" meaning "root". | |||
| Arabic | حقا | ||
| The word حقا (haqqan) in Arabic comes from the root ح ق ق (h-q-q), which means "to have a right, to be true". | |||
Truly in Western European Languages
| Albanian | me të vërtetë | ||
| Basque | benetan | ||
| The Basque word "benetan" originally meant "in fact" or "in reality". | |||
| Catalan | veritablement | ||
| "Veritablement" comes from the Latin word "verus" meaning "true", and in Catalan it can also mean "in fact" or "actually". | |||
| Croatian | uistinu | ||
| The word "uistinu" also means "really" or "indeed" in Croatian, as well as "unquestionably" or "certainly". | |||
| Danish | virkelig | ||
| The Danish word "virkelig" derives from the Old Norse word "verkelikr" meaning "actual" or "real". | |||
| Dutch | werkelijk | ||
| The Dutch word "werkelijk" derives from "werk" (work) and initially meant "operative" or "effective". | |||
| English | truly | ||
| The word "truly" derives from the Old English word "treowian," meaning "to trust" or "to believe." | |||
| French | vraiment | ||
| The French word "vraiment" also means "really" or "genuinely". | |||
| Frisian | wier | ||
| The Frisian word "wier" derives from the Old Frisian "wēr", which also meant "indeed" or "certainly". | |||
| Galician | de verdade | ||
| "De verdade" in Galician originates from the Portuguese and Spanish "de verdad", which comes from Latin "veritatis", meaning truth, but it can also be used as a Galician adverbial phrase to indicate "at once". | |||
| German | wirklich | ||
| "Wirklich" also means "real" and possibly stems from "wirken" which means "to be in effect" in that case. | |||
| Icelandic | sannarlega | ||
| "Sannarlega" (truly) is derived from the Old Norse words "sannr" (true) and "lega" (law) | |||
| Irish | go fírinneach | ||
| The Irish word "go fírinneach" derives from the Proto-Celtic root *wero- ("true"), related to the Latin "verus" and the English "very". | |||
| Italian | veramente | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning, "veramente" can also mean "actually", "in fact", or "indeed". | |||
| Luxembourgish | wierklech | ||
| The word "wierklech" is derived from the Old High German word "wirklīh," meaning "real" or "genuine." | |||
| Maltese | tassew | ||
| Tassew, meaning 'truly' in Maltese, derives from the Arabic word 'tasdiq' meaning 'confirmation'. | |||
| Norwegian | virkelig | ||
| The word "virkelig" is derived from the Old Norse word "verkelikr", which means "actual" or "real". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | verdadeiramente | ||
| "Verdadeiramente" ultimately derives from the Latin "veritas" (truth), and can also refer to something that is genuine or real. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | gu fìrinneach | ||
| Coined in the 13th century, "gu fìrinneach" has an alternate meaning of "to be just or righteous". | |||
| Spanish | verdaderamente | ||
| In Spanish, "verdaderamente" can also mean "in fact" or "actually". | |||
| Swedish | verkligt | ||
| The word 'verkligt' comes from the Old Swedish word 'verk' meaning 'work', and originally meant 'effective' or 'real' in the sense of 'practical' or 'tangible'. | |||
| Welsh | yn wir | ||
| The Welsh word "yn wir" can also be translated as "in reality" or "in fact". | |||
Truly in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | па-сапраўднаму | ||
| Bosnian | zaista | ||
| The word "zaista" is derived from the Persian word "rast" and also means "straight" in some Slavic languages. | |||
| Bulgarian | наистина | ||
| “Наистина” also means “really” in Bulgarian, and is often used in place of “истина” (truth), which is more formal. | |||
| Czech | opravdu | ||
| The adjective opravdový originates from the Old Czech opravdati, opraviti “justify, prove right, confirm, verify”, which corresponds to the Czech noun pravda | |||
| Estonian | tõeliselt | ||
| The word "tõeliselt" can also mean "genuine", "authentic", or "unpretentious". | |||
| Finnish | todella | ||
| The word "todella" originally meant "in reality" or "indeed", but over time it has come to be used more generally to mean "truly" or "very much". | |||
| Hungarian | valóban | ||
| “Valóban” can also mean “actually” and “in fact” (with an emphasis), but its use in this context is outdated. | |||
| Latvian | patiesi | ||
| The word "patiesi" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *pet-, meaning "to spread out" or "to fly". | |||
| Lithuanian | nuoširdžiai | ||
| "Nuoširdžiai" derives from "širdis" (heart), originally meaning genuine feelings. | |||
| Macedonian | вистински | ||
| In the village of Velestovo in Demir Hisar, the word вистински is used to mean "again" | |||
| Polish | naprawdę | ||
| The word "naprawdę" in Polish comes from "naprawić," which means "to mend, repair". | |||
| Romanian | cu adevărat | ||
| The word "cu adevărat" is a phrase composed by a preposition "cu" and an adverb "adevărat" which literally translates as "with true". This construction gives it the sense of something authentic | |||
| Russian | действительно | ||
| The word "действительно" derives from "действо" ("action") and initially meant "efficient", "real", "valid". | |||
| Serbian | истински | ||
| The word истина (istina) also means 'reality' and is often used to refer to a higher order truth, or an ultimate reality. | |||
| Slovak | skutočne | ||
| "Skutočne" in Slovak comes from the Proto-Slavic word *sutь* meaning "essence" or "being." | |||
| Slovenian | resnično | ||
| The Slovenian word "resnično" also means "actual", "real" or "serious". | |||
| Ukrainian | справді | ||
| The Ukrainian word «справді» (truly) originally meant «in fact» or «in reality». | |||
Truly in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | সত্যই | ||
| "সত্যই" comes from the Sanskrit word "satya," meaning "true, real, or existing." | |||
| Gujarati | ખરેખર | ||
| The word "ખરેખર" (khara khara) in Gujarati is used to express certainty and comes from the word "ખર" (khar), meaning "true," but also signifies authenticity. | |||
| Hindi | सही मायने में | ||
| "सही मायने में" can also be used to express | |||
| Kannada | ನಿಜವಾಗಿ | ||
| The Kannada word "నిజవಾಗಿ" can also mean "really" or "indeed" in English. | |||
| Malayalam | തീർച്ചയായും | ||
| The word "തീർച്ചയായും" is derived from the Proto-Dravidian word "*cit-i" meaning "to know for certain". | |||
| Marathi | खरोखर | ||
| खरोखर is derived from the Hindi word 'khar' meaning 'real' and 'kar' meaning 'doing', emphasizing the genuineness of an action or statement. | |||
| Nepali | साँच्चिकै | ||
| साँच्चिकै is derived from the Sanskrit word 'sat', meaning 'truth' or 'existence'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਸਚਮੁਚ | ||
| The word "sachmuch" originated from the Sanskrit word "satyama" meaning "truth" or "reality". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සැබවින්ම | ||
| Tamil | உண்மையிலேயே | ||
| Telugu | నిజంగా | ||
| The word "నిజంగా" can also mean "in fact" or "really". | |||
| Urdu | واقعی | ||
| The word "واقعی" is derived from the Arabic word "وقع", meaning "to happen" or "to come true." | |||
Truly in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 真正地 | ||
| 真正地 (zhēnzhèng de) is a compound word consisting of 真 (zhēn, true) and 正 (zhèng, correct) and can also mean "actually" or "in fact." | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 真正地 | ||
| The word 正真正地 has two main sources: 真正 and 正正. | |||
| Japanese | 本当に | ||
| 本当に (hontoni) is derived from the old Japanese word 本当 (hontō), meaning "truth" or "reality." | |||
| Korean | 진실로 | ||
| "진실로" is also a Buddhist term which means "mind-to-mind" or "heart-to-heart". | |||
| Mongolian | үнэхээр | ||
| Originally meant "of course" or "certainly" | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အမှန်ပါပဲ | ||
Truly in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | sungguh | ||
| "Sungguh" is cognate with the Malay word "sungguh" which means "very much" or "really" and in turn is ultimately derived from the Proto-Austronesian word *sungu which in modern Javanese means "truthful" or "genuine." | |||
| Javanese | tenanan | ||
| In informal Javanese, "tenanan" can also mean "genuine" (as in the phrase "wong tenanan", "a genuine person"). | |||
| Khmer | ពិត | ||
| The word "ពិត" can also mean "right" or "correct" in Khmer. | |||
| Lao | ຢ່າງແທ້ຈິງ | ||
| The word 'ຢ່າງແທ້ຈິງ' ('truly') in Lao is derived from 'อย่างแท้จริง' in Thai, and has the same meaning in both languages. | |||
| Malay | sungguh | ||
| "Sungguh" is also cognate with "sesungguhnya" meaning "in reality" or "indeed", "sungut" meaning "utterance" or "complaint", and "sangsi" meaning "doubt". | |||
| Thai | อย่างแท้จริง | ||
| "อย่างแท้จริง" can also mean "essentially" or "in reality". | |||
| Vietnamese | thực sự | ||
| "Thực sự" in Vietnamese is a Sino-Vietnamese word derived from the Chinese "實在 (shízài)" meaning "genuine" or "authentic". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tunay | ||
Truly in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | həqiqətən | ||
| The word "həqiqətən" can also be used to convey a sense of doubt, irony, or disbelief. | |||
| Kazakh | шынымен | ||
| "шынымен" originates from the Old Turkic word "чynn" meaning "very". | |||
| Kyrgyz | чындыгында | ||
| Tajik | дар ҳақиқат | ||
| Turkmen | hakykatdanam | ||
| Uzbek | haqiqatan ham | ||
| The word "haqiqatan ham" in Uzbek can also mean "in fact" or "actually". | |||
| Uyghur | ھەقىقەتەن | ||
Truly in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻoiaʻiʻo | ||
| 'Oi'a'i'o' also means 'firmly, strictly, severely, carefully, distinctly, earnestly, clearly, rigidly, vigorously, and strongly' in Hawaiian. | |||
| Maori | pono | ||
| Pono derives from the Proto-Polynesian *tongo meaning "correct, righteous" and has cognates in many other Polynesian languages like Tongan "tonu" and Niuean "tonu". | |||
| Samoan | moni lava | ||
| The Samoan word "moni lava" can be traced back to the Proto-Polynesian term *moni* meaning "true" or "real". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | tunay na | ||
| "Tunay na" can also mean "real" or "genuine" in Tagalog. | |||
Truly in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | chiqpachansa | ||
| Guarani | añetehápe | ||
Truly in International Languages
| Esperanto | vere | ||
| The Esperanto word "vere" is derived from the Latin word "verus," meaning "true," and also has the connotation of "sincerely" or "in fact." | |||
| Latin | vero | ||
| In Old Latin, 'vero' meant 'but' or 'indeed', rather than 'truly' as it does today. | |||
Truly in Others Languages
| Greek | στα αληθεια | ||
| The word "στα αληθεια" is an idiom in Greek that is composed of two words that individually mean "standing" and "truth", and it refers to a genuine or authentic expression. | |||
| Hmong | tiag | ||
| The Hmong word "tiag" also has meanings related to goodness and honor. | |||
| Kurdish | bi rastî | ||
| The phrase "bi rastî" has a separate meaning which is closer to "in actuality" in English. | |||
| Turkish | gerçekten | ||
| The Turkish word "gerçekten" also means "indeed", "in fact", or "actually". | |||
| Xhosa | ngokwenene | ||
| The word "ngokwenene" can also mean "in fact" or "indeed". | |||
| Yiddish | באמת | ||
| The word "באמת" in Yiddish can also mean "actually". | |||
| Zulu | ngempela | ||
| "Ngempela" is derived from the verb "ukwempela" (to swear) and originally meant "in all seriousness". | |||
| Assamese | সঁচাকৈয়ে | ||
| Aymara | chiqpachansa | ||
| Bhojpuri | सही मायने में बा | ||
| Dhivehi | ހަގީގަތުގައިވެސް | ||
| Dogri | सचमुच | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tunay | ||
| Guarani | añetehápe | ||
| Ilocano | pudno | ||
| Krio | fɔ tru | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | بەڕاستی | ||
| Maithili | सचमुच | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯇꯁꯦꯡꯅꯥ ꯍꯥꯌꯔꯕꯗꯥ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | dik takin | ||
| Oromo | dhuguma | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ପ୍ରକୃତରେ | ||
| Quechua | chiqapmi | ||
| Sanskrit | सत्यम् | ||
| Tatar | чыннан да | ||
| Tigrinya | ብሓቂ | ||
| Tsonga | hakunene | ||