German word

wahrlich

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈvaːɐ̯lɪç/

Meaning

  • adverbtruly

Example

Das Buch ist wahrlich interessant.

The book is truly interesting.

Illustration for wahrlich (truly)

More examples

Das Ergebnis ist wahrlich überraschend.

The result is truly surprising.

Core concept

A speaker places a firm seal of truth on a statement.

Common phrases

  • wahrlich interessant

    truly interesting

  • wahrlich wichtig

    truly important

Similar words

wirklich: An ordinary conversational way to emphasize truth, reality, or degree.
echt: A relaxed spoken form that adds emotional emphasis or conveys a strong impression.
tatsächlich: A relatively formal way to point out that something actually happened or is true.
in der Tat: A fixed expression that strongly affirms a fact or agreement, often with surprise.

Definition in German

Eine Aussage als wirklich oder zutreffend bekräftigt; stilistisch oft gehoben oder literarisch.

Word origin

Wahrlich is formed from wahr, meaning 'true', with the suffix -lich, whose older sense is 'in the manner of', producing an adverb meaning 'truly'.

Usage tips

  • Wahrlich sounds formal or literary in modern German, while wirklich is the usual neutral choice for 'really' in everyday speech.

Other meanings

  • reallyadverb
  • indeedadverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word