Don't make this mistake! How to use 'literally' correctly

*** Slow Easy English ***
What does the word "literally" mean? How do you use the word "literally" correctly? What's the difference between "literally" and "figuratively"? This can be a tricky word for English learners because even native English speakers often use it the wrong way! Watch this video to learn the definition of the word "literally" and how it's used properly.

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[Nigel]

You can literally take the word literally out of any sentence that it is used in and it literally still makes sense. Literally

[SuperDangerousMouse]

Here's a rule of a thumb... if adding the word literally to your sentence does not remove any ambiguity, you're incorrectly using it.
Example1: I just walked in vs. I literally just walked in. (the word literally adds no value as the first sentence was clear).
Example2: She threw me under the bus vs. She literally threw me under the bus. (here, it makes a difference).

I swear this word has become a pet peeve of mine. It's excessively misused to emphasize facts (rather than make the distinction between figurative and literal/actual descriptions).

[elsabethwakjira]

Hello from Africa. I really appreciate your teaching method.

[WILLIAMCHANEL]

The misuse and overuse of the word is driving me a bit nuts. I've noticed that it has even become near-ubiquitous among newscasters and political talking heads who wish to add emphasis, but it only detracts from their credibility. It is especially irksome in that context.

[세발낙지-uo]

Hello from South Korea! I moved to the states 6months ago and i am having a hard time getting along with friends, school and teachers. I think it’s harder for me to get into it cause im a teenager. Umm first of all thank you for making helpful videos and i hope you get to film more about english grammer or corrections that teenagers must know have a great day!

[lcynote]

Great video. Goes straight to the point 👍

[valsajoseph]

Hi i really appreciate your teaching method.

[shmhussein]

Very simple and clear explanation! Thanks, teacher. Would you pls. explain the correct use of 'hopefully', for the YouTube teachers have made me confused on this count.

[explorepakistanbeauty]

I don't why people use literally too much, its also annoying me 😤 mostly people show that they are good in English and became overconfident but it confuses me. But i know mostly people use this word incorrectly 😡

[lollylolly]

Hello from France!
Thanks for this explanation very clear!

[mikekram]

The real problem is that people go around using it as an intensifier like completely, extremely, highly, rather, really, totally, utterly, very or actually or only just. So then they end up at one point during the day using a figure of speech or metaphor still thinking that "literally" is an intensifier. So when somebody says I've "literally got cold feet" in their mind they are saying "I'm actually nervous" Where it would actually mean "My toes are cold and I said literally because I don't want you to confuse it for a metaphor for being nervous, so I'm saying literally to distinguish that I need to wear a warm pair of socks." An example of this is when my friend said to me he "literally came out of the toilet." Where he actually meant. I have only just stepped out of the bathroom. If people didn't think it was an intensifier we wouldn't come across people saying literally and then using a figure of speech immediately afterwards.

[fitrikeuwproperty]

I'm literally thankful for all the explanation about the common word 'literally' because that oftenly heard in any sentence nowadayz

[JusGodden]

I would indeed support the idea of creating an additional spelling of the word as "liderally" in dictionaries to mean an exaggerated form of figuratively as it's dictionary definition. It makes sense to me.
Languages need to slowly change and evolve otherwise they become dead a language. Embrace it!

[Robert-dl]

The term 'literally' has been stolen and dumbed down to mean 'actually'. However the term's original purpose was to distinguish figurative speech from literal speech. It is also misused as a synonym for the term 'figuratively'. It is actually the antonym to 'figuratively', not a synonym. 'Literally' means 'not figuratively'.

[topnotch]

Thanks buddy I was starting to rage at people . And dude I really think you should make another longer vid on this subject because' literally' everyone is saying it in every sentence they say it's getting me down buddy the word has blown up recently it's scary lol.

[abdelazizabdalla]

Thank you so much for this short video, but it's a great help and clarifying the confusion about it.

[andreg]

Thx for this. This sh*t has to stop, everyone's using this word wrongly.

[rthaqi]

I can speak English, it's not bad but I have problems with words like "Literally" or "weird", but thank you, it helps!

[trinhthanhdan]

thank you for your video. I literally know how to use this word.

[apollocreed]

I literally understand now, literally!!