echt vs wirklich in French

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Both echt (German) and vraiment (French) mean "really" or "genuinely." They're used to emphasize the sincerity of an adjective or verb.

Common translations:

• echt / wirklich + adjective — e.g., echt schön, wirklich interessant / vraiment intéressant
• echt / wirklich + verb — e.g., echt lachen, wirklich glauben / vraiment rire, je crois vraiment

But note the nuance:

• echt is more informal, colloquial, and is mainly used in spoken language.
• wirklich is more formal and universally accepted in written and spoken German.
• vraiment is standard French for "really," but colloquial emphasis may include tellement (so much).

Usage:

• Das ist echt / wirklich super! (~That's really great!)
• Er ist echt / wirklich nett. (~He's really nice.)
• Das war echt/wirklich spannend. (~That was really exciting.)

Note: echt can also mean "authentic" as an adjective: echt Leder (genuine leather).

Related Topics: Adverbs, Emphasis, German-French comparison

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