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# really

«really» in Mova's school dictionary: **In fact, truly: «Is it really true?»** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

adverb

### meaning for a pupil

1) In fact, truly: «Is it really true?» [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/really/#m1)

2) Very: «really hot». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/really/#m2)

3) Used to show surprise or doubt: «Really?» [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/really/#m3)

4) Used to make a statement softer or stronger: «I don't really like it.» [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/really/#m4)

5) (casual) «Really?!» or «srsly» (texting) is annoyed surprise: you can't be serious. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/really/#m5)

6) (casual, sarcastic) «Oh, really?» means I don't believe you; «Really, Tom?» means I am disappointed in you. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/really/#m6)

7) (casual, UK) «Not really» is a polite soft no. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/really/#m7)

8) (formal) «Genuinely», «indeed», «in fact», «exceedingly» and «considerably» are stiff words for really. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/really/#m8)

### sense in the lessons

In everyday talk, «really» adds strength or asks if something is true. In reading, «Really?» shows a character's surprise. In science: what really happens versus what seems to happen. In casual talk: «really?!», «srsly», «not really». In the exam voice: «indeed», «in fact», «considerably greater». Phrases: not really, really and truly, really?, I really mean it.

### examples

- It's really cold today. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/really/#x1)
- Did you really see a whale? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/really/#x2)
- «I won!» «Really?» [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/really/#x3)
- I don't really like broccoli. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/really/#x4)
- She really wants a puppy. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/really/#x5)
- What really happened? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/really/#x6)
- That was really kind of you. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/really/#x7)
- The sun doesn't really move; the Earth spins. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/really/#x8)
- srsly?? only 2 cookies left out of 12? (casual) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/really/#x9)
- «I did my homework.» «Oh, really? Show me.» (sarcastic) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/really/#x10)
- Really? You broke it again? Bloody hell. (rough) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/really/#x11)
- The second quantity is considerably greater than the first; determine by how much. (formal exam) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/really/#x12)
- I really cannot squeeze myself through!” [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/really/#x13)

### note

Two l's: «really». «Not really» means «not much» or a soft «no». In writing, «really» + adjective is fine, but try stronger words sometimes: «freezing» instead of «really cold». «Really?» can be real surprise or doubt — read the tone. Formal «considerably» = really (a lot); «indeed» = really (truly). It does not change the numbers.

### In the corpora

- [If prices rise and pay doesn't, a person is really getting poorer each year.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/3-finding-a-job-and-getting-on/13/)
- [A crush means really liking someone and thinking about them a lot; it is a private feeling and often passes.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/17-gran-cousins-and-the-whole-family/14/)
- [Knowing how money, work and choices really work now makes the big steps much less scary later.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/39-money-work-and-the-big-choices/5/)
- [The secret of reliable people is to only promise what they can really do.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/40-being-a-good-grown-up/6/)
- [If you are really worried about a child being unsafe, tell a trusted adult instead of turning it into gossip.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/43-our-street-when-a-guess-becomes-a-reputation/21/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «really» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/really/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.