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Quick Reference
Very is typically used as an adverb which can modify adjectives (very good) and adverbs (very slowly).
Really is typically used as an adverb which can modify adjectives (really poor), adverbs (really well), and verbs (really like).
Common English learner mistake: Remember, very cannot modify verbs (I very want to see you), but really can modify verbs (I really want to see you).
Very can also be used as an adjective before nouns to mean exact, precise, or actual. This is a less frequent but understood usage. In these cases, very is always preceded by the definite article ("the"), demonstrative pronoun (this, that, these, those), or a possessive adjective (my, your, his, her, our, their). Note the examples: "The very idea that you believe this is shocking." "I have this very table in my basement." "I felt his words in my very bones.")
Very is more commonly used with the adverbs much ("I love you very much") and many ("There aren't very many people here"). Really sounds strange in these cases.
Really can be used to express shock, disbelief, or surprise ("They got married." "Really?!")
Imagine that you have just watched a musical in a big city theatre. You step out of the theatre and receive a text message from a friend. The message says, "How was the show?" You enjoyed it a lot, so you respond with, "It was very good. I really want to see it again." Wow! That must have been a very good show indeed! In fact, you felt the need to use two intensifying adverbs to emphasize your enjoyment of it: The show was very good, and you really want to see it again. But why did you use "really" in one instance, and "very" in another? Is it possible to use them interchangeably?
Now, instead of thinking about the musical, you are thinking about an important English grammar question. So, now that you are thinking about it, let us ask the very question that is on your mind:
Is there a difference between "very" and "really"?
The short answer is "yes." First of all, "really" is considered more informal than "very." It is more common in relaxed conversations with friends, family members, and colleagues. On the other hand, "very" is more common than "really" in formal contexts, such as professional writing, although you will hear it and can use it in casual situations as well.
Grammatically, these two words also have some differences while sharing some similarities. Let's explore these in a simple list format.
"Very" and "really" are typically used as adverbs which can intensify adjectives and other adverbs.
Take a look at these examples of "very" and "really" modifying adjectives: (Remember, the only difference is the level of formality.)
"This cake is very good," or "This cake is really good."
"He makes very interesting films," or "He makes really interesting films."
"Houses are very expensive these days," or "Houses are really expensive these days."
"We had a very long conversation," or "We had a really long conversation.
Now, look at these examples of "very" and "really" modifying adverbs:
"They played very well," or "They played really well." "She's driving very fast," or "She's driving really fast."
"He wanted to leave very badly," or "He wanted to leave really badly." (If you want something "badly," it means you really want it.)
"They won very easily," or "They won really easily."
"Really" can modify verbs.
That's right! You can modify verbs with "really." When you use "really" before a verb, it usually acts as an intensifier, but it can also act as a synonym for "truly," "honestly," or "genuinely." Let's take a look at some examples:
"I really want pizza."
"She really needs to take a vacation."
"I've really enjoyed hanging out with you today."
"Do you really like him?" (In this case, the speaker is probably asking you if you have true, genuine feelings towards someone.)
Remember! Only "really" can modify verbs. "Very" cannot modify verbs. This is one of the most common mistakes made by English learners. Do not say, "I very need to call him." This is ungrammatical and not used at all in formal or informal settings. Say, "I really need to call him" instead.
"Very" can act as an adjective before nouns to mean "exact," "precise," or "actual." When you use "very" in this way, it is always preceded by one of the following: The definite article, "the"
"This is the very car that I owned in high school." "The main character dies at the very end of the movie."
A demonstrative pronoun ("this," "that," "these," "those")
"I spoke to him on that very day." "I owned these very same shoes in high school."
A possessive adjective ("my," "your," "his," "her," "its," "our," "their")
"Is this your first time in the city? We're in its very heart right now." "The poem spoke to my very soul." This is the rarest usage, as it sounds strange with most nouns. For example, it sounds unnatural to say, "She brought her very backpack to school." You could make this make sense by saying, "She brought her very own backpack to school," but the meaning here is different.
"Very" can be used before several quantifiers, including "much," "many," "few," and "little." You can intensify many quantifiers with "very." Here are a few examples:
"I love you very much." "There aren't very many cups left." "He has very few real friends." "There is very little juice left in the pitcher." "Really" would sound a bit strange in all of the cases above, so it's safer to stick to "very" when you are using quantifiers. However, know that you cannot say "very a little" and "very a few." These are also two common English learner mistakes with "very."
"Very" can be used before superlative adjectives to add emphasis. Superlatives are already powerful words, but you can make them sound even more powerful by adding "very" in front of them. You cannot do this with "really." Check out these examples:
"This is the very best pub in the city." "He will be the very richest man in the world." "I'm not the very brightest person in the world, but I know a thing or two." "You're the very friendliest person I've ever met."
Note that this works with -est superlatives, and not with most + adjective superlatives. For example, it sounds a bit strange to say "This is the very most dangerous place in the village."
"Really" can be used to express shock, disbelief, or surprise. In these cases, "really" is a single-word interjection. Note the examples: "Debbie is pregnant." "Really?! That's big news!" "I broke your laptop." "Really?! I knew I couldn't trust you!" (In a case like this, you can use "really" to express anger or exasperation with someone.) "You got the promotion!" "What?! Really?! You're not joking right now?!"
And that's it! Now you know the similarities and differences between "very" and "really." To finish, let's go back to that message that you sent to your friend after the musical. Remember, you typed, "It was very good. I really want to see it again." Now you know that you could also say, "It was really good" to sound more casual. However, only "I really want to see it again" is possible because only "really" can come before a verb. Got it? Good! Until next time, thank you for learning English with Alex. If you would like to support what I do, please consider purchasing one of my books, such as Perfect English Questions (and How to Answer Them!). When you buy a PDF, e-book, or paperback copy of one of my books, you allow me to continue making resources for you just like this one.
Good luck with your studies, and keep practicing.
