Actually

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