When do Koreans say "really / truly"?

"really / truly" is used in neutral situations in Korean conversation and K-drama scenes.

What Does "jeongmal (정말)" Mean in Korean?

Q: What does "really / truly" really mean in Korean?

This word is **extremely versatile** and used in almost any social context, making it safe for learners. When used as an exclamation, it often conveys genuine surprise, agreement, or a strong emotional reaction, similar to 'Wow, really?' or 'That's true!'

Meaning

정말

jeongmal

really / truly

EMOTIONAL INTENSITY5/10

💕 Medium

Real Feeling

🇰🇷

What Koreans really mean

This word is extremely versatile and used in almost any social context, making it safe for learners. When used as an exclamation, it often conveys genuine surprise, agreement, or a strong emotional reaction, similar to 'Wow, really?' or 'That's true!'

💬 Used in real life

• When someone tells you surprising news, you might respond with '정말?!' to express disbelief or confirmation.

• To emphasize how good a meal was, you can say '정말 맛있었어요!'.