When you hear virtualmente, think 'almost' or 'nearly'.
It can also mean 'by means of a computer or network', like when we say 'virtually' in English.
For example, if you say Estoy virtualmente terminado, it means 'I am almost finished'.
If you say Nos reunimos virtualmente, it means 'We meet online' or 'We meet virtually'.
You might recognize virtualmente because it looks a lot like the English word "virtually." That's a great start because they share a lot of meaning!
When you use virtualmente, you're usually talking about something that is almost true or almost happened, but not quite. For example, if a meeting is virtualmente over, it means it's nearly finished.
It can also refer to things done through a computer, just like in English. So, a "virtual meeting" in Spanish would be a "reunión virtual."
virtualmente in 30 Sekunden
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§ Understanding "virtualmente"
Alright, let's break down 'virtualmente'. This isn't a tricky word, but it has a couple of distinct meanings you need to grasp. Think of it as having two main functions in Spanish, similar to how we use 'virtually' in English.
- Meaning 1
- Almost, nearly; in effect, practically.
This is probably the most common use. When you say 'virtualmente' in this sense, you're implying that something is true in every important respect, even if not literally or officially true. It's about being very close to a certain state or situation.
El proyecto está virtualmente terminado.
**Hint:** The project is almost finished.
Con esa jugada, la partida estaba virtualmente ganada.
**Hint:** With that move, the game was practically won.
- Meaning 2
- By means of a computer or network; online, remotely.
This usage is a bit more modern and relates directly to technology. When you hear 'virtualmente' in this context, it's about interactions or activities that happen in a digital space, not in person.
La reunión se hará virtualmente por Zoom.
**Hint:** The meeting will be held virtually via Zoom.
Estudiamos virtualmente durante la pandemia.
**Hint:** We studied online during the pandemic.
§ Grammar and Placement
'Virtualmente' is an adverb, which means it usually modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. It doesn't change its form based on gender or number, which makes it pretty straightforward.
In a sentence, 'virtualmente' typically goes:
- **Before the verb** it modifies (less common, but possible for emphasis).
- **After the verb** it modifies (most common).
- **Before an adjective or another adverb** it modifies.
El museo ofrece visitas virtualmente guiadas.
**Hint:** The museum offers virtually guided tours.
Estamos virtualmente listos para el lanzamiento.
**Hint:** We are almost ready for the launch.
§ Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don't overthink this one. The main pitfall is confusing its two meanings, but context usually makes it clear. Also, remember it's an adverb, so it doesn't agree in gender or number like an adjective would.
Practice using 'virtualmente' in both contexts, and you'll master it in no time. Think about things that are 'almost' done, or events that happen 'online', and try to form your own sentences. Good luck!
Aussprachehilfe
- Mispronouncing the 'u' as a 'yoo' sound instead of 'oo'
- Placing stress on the wrong syllable
Wichtige Grammatik
Adverbs like "virtualmente" typically modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
"Ella virtualmente ha terminado el proyecto." (She has virtually finished the project.)
When "virtualmente" means "almost" or "nearly," it often precedes the verb it modifies.
"Virtualmente todos los estudiantes aprobaron el examen." (Almost all the students passed the exam.)
When referring to computer or network interaction, "virtualmente" can be used to describe an action happening remotely.
"Podemos reunirnos virtualmente para discutir el plan." (We can meet virtually to discuss the plan.)
Avoid using "virtualmente" directly with nouns unless it's part of a set phrase or modifying an adjective that itself modifies the noun.
Incorrect: "Virtualmente personas estaban allí." Correct: "Virtualmente todas las personas estaban allí." (Virtually all the people were there.)
In some contexts, "prácticamente" can be a synonym for "virtualmente" when meaning "almost" or "nearly."
"Prácticamente hemos llegado a la cima de la montaña." (We have practically reached the top of the mountain.)
Beispiele nach Niveau
La reconstrucción virtual de la antigua ciudad permite a los historiadores explorar cada rincón con un detalle asombroso.
The virtual reconstruction of the ancient city allows historians to explore every corner with astonishing detail.
Here 'virtual' refers to something simulated by computer technology.
Después de meses de trabajo, el proyecto está virtualmente terminado, solo quedan algunos ajustes menores por hacer.
After months of work, the project is virtually finished; only a few minor adjustments remain.
'Virtualmente' here means 'almost' or 'nearly'.
La conferencia se celebró virtualmente, lo que permitió la participación de expertos de todo el mundo sin necesidad de viajar.
The conference was held virtually, which allowed experts from all over the world to participate without needing to travel.
In this context, 'virtualmente' means 'online' or 'remotely'.
Con la tecnología actual, es virtualmente posible simular cualquier escenario meteorológico con gran precisión.
With current technology, it's virtually possible to simulate any weather scenario with great precision.
'Virtualmente posible' means 'almost possible' or 'practically possible'.
La empresa ha logrado reducir sus emisiones de carbono virtualmente a cero mediante el uso de energías renovables.
The company has managed to reduce its carbon emissions virtually to zero by using renewable energy.
Here 'virtualmente a cero' implies 'almost zero' or 'practically zero'.
El nuevo sistema de seguridad hace que el edificio sea virtualmente inexpugnable, frustrando cualquier intento de intrusión.
The new security system makes the building virtually impregnable, thwarting any attempt at intrusion.
'Virtualmente inexpugnable' means 'almost impossible to conquer or break into'.
Durante la pandemia, la educación se trasladó virtualmente a plataformas en línea, adaptándose a las nuevas circunstancias.
During the pandemic, education virtually moved to online platforms, adapting to the new circumstances.
'Virtualmente' here indicates a shift to an online or remote mode of operation.
Es virtualmente imposible predecir con exactitud el comportamiento de los mercados financieros a largo plazo.
It is virtually impossible to accurately predict the long-term behavior of financial markets.
'Virtualmente imposible' means 'almost impossible' or 'practically impossible'.
Redewendungen & Ausdrücke
"Estar en las nubes"
To have one's head in the clouds
Juan siempre está en las nubes, nunca presta atención.
neutral"Ponerse las pilas"
To get a move on, to get to work (literally: to put in the batteries)
¡Venga, ponte las pilas! Tenemos mucho que hacer.
informal"Costar un ojo de la cara"
To cost an arm and a leg (literally: to cost an eye from the face)
Ese coche nuevo me costó un ojo de la cara.
neutral"Ser pan comido"
To be a piece of cake (literally: to be eaten bread)
El examen fue pan comido, lo pasé sin problemas.
informal"No tener pelos en la lengua"
To be direct, to not mince words (literally: to not have hairs on the tongue)
Ella no tiene pelos en la lengua, siempre dice lo que piensa.
neutral"Buscarle tres pies al gato"
To look for trouble, to overcomplicate things (literally: to look for three feet on the cat)
No le busques tres pies al gato, la solución es sencilla.
neutral"Echar una mano"
To lend a hand
¿Puedes echarme una mano con estas cajas?
neutral"De tal palo, tal astilla"
Like father, like son; a chip off the old block (literally: from such a stick, such a splinter)
Su hijo es idéntico a él, de tal palo, tal astilla.
neutral"Quedarse de piedra"
To be stunned, to be dumbfounded (literally: to be left like a stone)
Cuando me dio la noticia, me quedé de piedra.
neutral"Tirar la casa por la ventana"
To go all out, to spare no expense (literally: to throw the house out the window)
Para su boda, tiraron la casa por la ventana.
informalSo verwendest du es
Virtually has two main meanings, just like in English.
1. When it means 'almost' or 'nearly', you can use it to describe something that is true in practice, even if not strictly true in every detail. For example: 'La película era virtualmente perfecta.' (The movie was virtually perfect.)
2. When it refers to something done or accessed via computer or the internet, it works just like 'virtually' in English in that context. For example: 'Nos reunimos virtualmente cada semana.' (We meet virtually every week.)
A common mistake is to confuse 'virtualmente' with 'actualmente'. While 'virtually' and 'actually' sound similar, their meanings are very different.
Virtualmente: Almost, nearly; by computer.
Actualmente: Currently, nowadays (not 'actually' in the sense of 'in reality').
For example, if you want to say 'Actually, I prefer coffee', you would say 'De hecho, prefiero café' or 'En realidad, prefiero café', not 'Actualmente prefiero café'.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenIn everyday Spanish, 'virtualmente' most often means 'almost' or 'nearly'. Think of it as a synonym for 'prácticamente' (practically) or 'casi' (almost).
Yes, you absolutely can! While less common in casual conversation than the 'almost' meaning, 'virtualmente' is also used to describe things done via computer or network, similar to English 'virtually'. So 'asistir virtualmente a una reunión' means 'virtually attending a meeting'.
It's pretty neutral. You can use 'virtualmente' in both formal and informal contexts. It's not slang, and it's not overly academic.
You'll often hear it in phrases like:
- 'virtualmente imposible' (virtually impossible/almost impossible)
- 'virtualmente terminado' (virtually finished/almost finished)
- 'virtualmente todos' (virtually everyone/almost everyone)
For the meaning of 'almost', they are often interchangeable. 'Casi' is very common and perhaps slightly more frequent in casual speech. 'Virtualmente' can sometimes imply a stronger sense of 'to all intents and purposes' or 'for all practical purposes' than 'casi'.
Not really. 'Virtualmente' doesn't express possibility or hypothetical situations directly. It describes a state of being 'almost' something or happening 'almost' in a certain way. For possibility, you'd use words like 'posiblemente' (possibly) or 'quizás' (perhaps).
While the core meanings are consistent, like many words, the frequency of its use might vary slightly between different Spanish-speaking regions. However, both meanings (almost/nearly and via computer) are understood everywhere.
It's pronounced veer-too-ahl-MEN-teh. The stress is on the 'MEN' syllable.
Yes, it often modifies adjectives, meaning 'almost' or 'nearly' that adjective. For example:
- 'El proyecto está virtualmente completo.' (The project is virtually complete / almost complete.)
- 'La situación es virtualmente incontrolable.' (The situation is virtually uncontrollable / almost uncontrollable.)
Not inherently. 'Virtualmente' itself is neutral. Any negative connotation would come from the word it's modifying. For example, 'virtualmente imposible' (almost impossible) could feel negative because 'imposible' is a negative idea.
Teste dich selbst 30 Fragen
El concierto estuvo ______ lleno; no quedaban asientos.
Aquí, 'virtualmente' significa 'casi' o 'prácticamente'. El concierto estaba casi lleno.
Con las nuevas regulaciones, la contaminación ha desaparecido ______ de la ciudad.
'Virtualmente' en este contexto indica que la contaminación 'casi' o 'prácticamente' ha desaparecido.
Puedo trabajar desde casa y conectarme ______ con mis colegas.
Aquí, 'virtualmente' se refiere a conectarse 'a través de una computadora o red'.
Después del accidente, su coche estaba ______ destrozado.
'Virtualmente' significa 'casi' o 'prácticamente' destrozado.
La reunión se llevará a cabo ______ por videoconferencia.
'Virtualmente' indica que la reunión se hará 'por medio de una computadora o red', es decir, en línea.
Los estudiantes tienen ______ todas sus clases en línea este semestre.
En este caso, 'virtualmente' significa que las clases son 'casi todas' o 'prácticamente todas' en línea.
This sentence means 'He/She almost finished the homework.'
This sentence means 'We virtually become friends.' or 'We almost become friends.'
This sentence means 'It is virtually impossible.' or 'It is almost impossible.'
Los estudiantes estaban tan concentrados que ___ no notaron el ruido.
In this context, 'virtualmente' means 'almost' or 'nearly', indicating the students almost didn't notice the noise due to their concentration.
Con la cuarentena, las reuniones de trabajo se volvieron ___ todas en línea.
'Virtualmente' here refers to 'by means of a computer or network', indicating that nearly all work meetings moved online.
Después de tanto esfuerzo, el proyecto está ___ terminado.
Here, 'virtualmente' means 'almost' or 'nearly', implying the project is very close to completion.
En este mundo globalizado, muchas transacciones se realizan ___.
This use of 'virtualmente' indicates that transactions are conducted 'by means of a computer or network'.
La ciudad quedó ___ vacía durante el feriado.
'Virtualmente' means 'almost' or 'nearly' in this sentence, describing the city as almost empty.
Gracias a la tecnología, podemos asistir a clases ___ desde cualquier lugar.
In this context, 'virtualmente' means 'by means of a computer or network', referring to attending classes online.
The meeting was almost a disaster.
You can access the information virtually from anywhere.
The project is virtually finished, only a few details are missing.
Read this aloud:
Virtualmente es imposible terminar todo el trabajo hoy.
Focus: vir-tual-MEN-te
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Read this aloud:
El concierto se transmitió virtualmente para millones de personas.
Focus: vir-tual-MEN-te
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Read this aloud:
Después de la cuarentena, virtualmente toda nuestra vida es en línea.
Focus: vir-tual-MEN-te
Du hast gesagt:
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The sentence discusses how AI has transformed aspects of daily life. Listen for 'virtualmente'.
The sentence describes the completion of a doctoral thesis. Listen for 'virtualmente' in this context.
The sentence talks about accessing files with a new operating system. Listen for 'virtualmente' to understand the extent of access.
Read this aloud:
El proyecto fue virtualmente un éxito, a pesar de los pequeños contratiempos iniciales.
Focus: vir-tual-MEN-te
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
Hoy en día, es virtualmente imposible vivir sin conexión a internet.
Focus: im-po-SEE-ble, vir-tual-MEN-te
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
Gracias a las nuevas tecnologías, estamos virtualmente conectados con cualquier parte del mundo.
Focus: co-nec-TA-dos, vir-tual-MEN-te
Du hast gesagt:
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/ 30 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Use 'virtualmente' to say 'almost' or 'nearly,' or to describe something existing or happening online.
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Beispiel
Ahora podemos trabajar virtualmente desde cualquier parte del mundo.
Verwandte Inhalte
Mehr work Wörter
a corto plazo
B1Within a short period of time; in the short term.
a distancia
B1From a distance; remotely.
a largo plazo
B1Over a long period of time; in the long term.
a plazo fijo
B1For a fixed term; a contract with a definite end date.
a prueba
B1On probation; undergoing a trial period.
a tiempo
B1At the correct or scheduled time.
a tiempo completo
B1Working the full period of time considered normal or standard.
a tiempo parcial
B1Working less than the full period of time considered normal or standard.
accionista
B1A shareholder, an owner of shares in a company.
adaptable
B1Able to adjust to new conditions.
