1.
really, truly
Used to emphasize that something is genuine or to express sincere feelings.
本当に is the adverbial form of 本当 (truth/reality), used to emphasize sincerity or degree.
CASUAL FORMS:
- ほんとに: common casual contraction
- ほんと: very casual, often sentence-final
- マジで: slang equivalent (from 本気)
COMMON USES:
SIMILAR ADVERBS:
- 確かに: certainly, indeed (confirming facts)
- 実に: truly, indeed (more formal/literary)
- とても: very (degree only, not sincerity)
NOTE:
本当に emphasizes both degree (really good) and genuineness (truly/sincerely), while とても only emphasizes degree.