As an English teacher in Spain, I have a hard time convincing students that “actually” is not the same as the Spanish, actualmente, which means “currently”.
“Okay,” they say, arms folded. “So what does it mean?”
Struggling for a definition, I decide to give them an example:
A: Would you like to go skiing this weekend?
B: Actually, I have to go see my mother-in-law do community theater.
Their faces light up. “Oooh. So it means, Of all the rotten luck?”
Okay, let’s try again:
A: Isn’t Barcelona the capital of Spain?
B: Actually, it’s Madrid.
I tell them it’s a polite way to refuse an invitation, or to disagree with someone. The class has fallen silent. I reach out for help. “Can anyone think of a Spanish translation?” A hand goes up. “Yes, Pedro?”
“No,” he says. His classmates seem to agree.
So there you have it. “Actually” means “no.”
Geonae Edwards
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what about “al contrario”?
Uh, when did “actually” become a white lie?
In any case, to Kathryn’s “al contrario” we can add “realmente” (en realidad), “de hecho”…
I quite like that word, actually. It makes me think of Love Actually and the way it might be pronounced with a British accent