verkligen

Verkligen is a Swedish adverb used to intensify meanings, roughly corresponding to the English “really,” “truly,” or “indeed.” It commonly precedes adjectives, adverbs, or verbs to reinforce the statement, as in “Det är verkligen viktigt” (That is really important) or “Hon såg verkligen glad ut” (She looked truly happy). It can appear in questions to express surprise or skepticism, for example, “Verkligen?” (Really?).

Etymology and related forms: verkligen is derived from the adjective verklig, meaning real or actual, with an adverbial development that yields the strong emphasis sense. The word is standard in modern Swedish and is widely used in both spoken and written language. It has cognates in other Scandinavian languages, such as Norwegian and Danish, where forms like virkelig convey a similar meaning.

Usage notes: Verkligen is versatile and can carry different pragmatic tones depending on context and intonation. In positive contexts, it softens or strengthens a praise or assertion; in questioning or skeptical contexts, it can convey doubt or surprise. It does not change for gender or number, remaining invariable across different subjects and sentences.

Relation to similar terms: Verkligen is often contrasted with egentligen, which also translates as “actually” or “in fact” but carries a nuance of underlying truth or contrary appearances. While both can serve to emphasize, egentligen tends to foreground contrast with expectations, whereas verkligen emphasizes intensity or authenticity in the statement itself.

See also: verklighet (reality), verklig (real, actual), virkelig (Norwegian/Danish cognates).