wortwörtlich
literal
Corresponding exactly to the words; letter-perfect and without any deviation or interpretation.
EXAMPLE
Er zitierte den Satz wortwörtlich aus dem Buch.
He quoted the sentence literally from the book.
wortwörtlich
literal / literally
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Meanings
wortwörtlich
literally
Used colloquially to intensify a statement and emphasize that something actually was that way, and not just in a figurative sense.
EXAMPLE
Mir ist vor Schreck wortwörtlich das Herz in die Hose gerutscht.
I was so frightened that my heart literally sank into my boots.
Usage tips
Word structure
'Wortwörtlich' (literal / literally) is a compound made up of 'Wort' (word) and 'wörtlich' (literal). Since 'wörtlich' already means 'corresponding to the word,' it is an intensifying repetition that emphasizes that something is meant absolutely exactly that way.
EXAMPLE
Bitte fassen Sie den Text nicht nur zusammen, sondern übersetzen Sie ihn wortwörtlich.
Please don't just summarize the text; translate it literally.
Adjective and adverb
'Wortwörtlich' (literal / literally) can stand as an adjective before a noun or as an adverb referring to a verb or the whole sentence. As an adverb, it is very common.
EXAMPLE
Das ist eine wortwörtliche Abschrift des Originals.
This is a literal copy of the original.
Typical collocations
In its basic meaning, 'wortwörtlich' (literal / literally) is often used with verbs such as 'nehmen' (to take), 'verstehen' (to understand), 'zitieren' (to quote), or 'übersetzen' (to translate).
EXAMPLE
Man sollte nicht jede Redewendung wortwörtlich nehmen.
You shouldn't take every idiom literally.
Colloquial intensifier
In colloquial language, 'wortwörtlich' (literally) is often used to emphasize a metaphor or a strong statement. It underlines that something did not just happen figuratively, but actually happened.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem langen Lauf war ich wortwörtlich am Ende meiner Kräfte.
After the long run, I was literally at the end of my strength.
Compare with
wortwörtlich vs tatsächlich
indeed / actual
Tatsächlich and wortwörtlich can both emphasize that something really happened. Tatsächlich primarily confirms the truth of a statement, whereas wortwörtlich additionally says that the statement is not meant figuratively. Use tatsächlich for a surprising fact and wortwörtlich when the exact, non-figurative meaning is important.
wortwörtlich
Der Busfahrer sagte, der Weg sei wortwörtlich mit Schnee bedeckt.
The bus driver said that the road was literally covered in snow.
tatsächlich
Tatsächlich ist der Bus trotz des starken Schnees pünktlich gekommen.
The bus actually arrived on time despite the heavy snow.
In real life
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