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actually and Spanish actualmente
In English
actually
in reality / in fact
In Spanish
actualmente
en este momento
Spanish "actualmente" means: currently / nowadays
Why they get mixed up "Actually" comes from the same Latin root as "actual" and inherited the sense of "in reality, truly." Spanish "actualmente" took on the meaning of "right now, these days." Each language kept a different nuance of the original word.
If you want to say...
- actuallyen realidad o de hecho
- currentlyactualmente
- currentactual
Examples
Actually, I prefer tea, not coffee.
En realidad prefiero el té, no el café.
It looks hard, but it's actually easy.
Parece difícil, pero en realidad es fácil.
Actually, the meeting starts at ten, not nine.
En realidad, la reunión empieza a las diez, no a las nueve.
He looks serious, but he's actually very funny.
Se ve serio, pero en realidad es muy divertido.
Common mistakes in Spanish
Incorrect: Actualmente, no soy de aquí, soy de Texas.
Correct: En realidad, no soy de aquí, soy de Texas.
Actualmente means currently or nowadays, not actually. Use "en realidad" or "de hecho" to correct something.
Incorrect: Pensé que era fácil, pero actualmente era difícil.
Correct: Pensé que era fácil, pero en realidad era difícil.
Actualmente always points to the present time, so it cannot describe something that happened in the past.
Phrases you will hear
- Actually, I disagree.En realidad, no estoy de acuerdo.
- What actually happened?¿Qué pasó realmente?
- Did you actually see it?¿De verdad lo viste?
- I currently live in Lima.Actualmente vivo en Lima.
- the current situationla situación actual
- It's actually easy.En realidad es fácil.
In a conversation
- A:
Are you still living in Boston?
¿Todavía vives en Boston?
- B:
Actually, I moved to Denver last month.
En realidad, me mudé a Denver el mes pasado.
- A:
Oh! I currently work in Chicago.
¡Ah! Yo actualmente trabajo en Chicago.
- B:
Really? I actually love Chicago.
¿De verdad? En realidad, me encanta Chicago.
Test yourself
How do you say Spanish "actualmente" (these days) in English?
To remember it
Actually = "the truth is that...". If you mean Spanish "actualmente" (these days), use "nowadays" or "currently".
Frequently asked questions
What does Spanish "actualmente" mean?
Spanish "actualmente" means "currently / nowadays". It looks like the English "actually", which is exactly why it gets confused, but "actually" means "in reality / in fact".
Does English "actually" mean the same as Spanish "actualmente"?
"Actually" comes from the same Latin root as "actual" and inherited the sense of "in reality, truly." Spanish "actualmente" took on the meaning of "right now, these days." Each language kept a different nuance of the original word.