# 实实在在



## panzerfaust0

Hello.  I would like to know how to translate "实实在在" into English.

Context: 他把英文实实在在得学起来了.

Thanks.


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## yuechu

Hi, Panzerfaust0!

I don't know the Chinese expression very well. Does it mean that he (truly) put a lot of effort into studying English?


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## Bule&sky

我觉得可以是really.


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## panzerfaust0

yuechu said:


> Hi, Panzerfaust0!
> 
> I don't know the Chinese expression very well. Does it mean that he (truly) put a lot of effort into studying English?


I think it means that someone has truly learned English in a real way.  He doesn't merely pick the right answers on tests on English.  He truly comprehends and speaks the language.


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## yuechu

He's really studied hard to attain a high level in English? (I'm sure others will come up with a better translation!)


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## gramduce

yuechu said:


> Hi, Panzerfaust0!
> 
> I don't know the Chinese expression very well. Does it mean that he (truly) put a lot of effort into studying English?


a lot of effort + step by step


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## T.D

I think 'really' is a good choice. (or maybe 'practically'? given the antonym of 实 is 虚)
By the way, the original sentence mentioned nothing about his effort nor method, it just gave a statement about the result. 
But tbh I'm not sure what exactly did this sentence mean, because 起来 following a verb could mean the action either 'get started' or 'is finished'


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## elroy

How about “He has truly *mastered* the English language”?


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## Skatinginbc

你*真的*把他殺了嗎 ==> 你把他殺了, 真是這樣嗎?
你把他*真的*殺了嗎 ==> 你不是假裝殺他, 而是真的殺了他嗎?

他把英文*實實在在地*學起來了 ==> 他不是虛假浮誇地學, 而是踏踏實實地學英文, 一點一滴, 慢慢累積起來了。He has been building his English skills from the ground up, brick by brick.


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## T.D

Skatinginbc said:


> 你把他*真的*殺了嗎


Interesting. This sentence means 你确定你把他*杀死*了吗？ to me. (a mob boss asking his hitman, maybe)


Skatinginbc said:


> 他把英文*實實在在地*學起來了 ==> 他不是虛假浮誇地學, 而是踏踏實實地學英文, 一點一滴, 慢慢累積起來了。He has been building his English skills from the ground up, brick by brick.


Agreed.


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## T.D

elroy said:


> How about “He has truly *mastered* the English language”?


I don't think so.
To me, this sentence means 'He had REALLY made some visible progress in learning the English language'.
That being said, the original sentence can be applied to someone who used to score 20% in tests, and now he can score 40%.


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## Skatinginbc

他*實實在在* (= actually, really, truly) 把英文學起來了 ==> an *adverb of opinion *that modifies the entire predicate "把英文學起來了".


T.D said:


> made some visible progress in learning the English language


That interpretation seems to suggest that 實實在在地 in the OP's sentence serves as an *adverb of degree* that modifies 起來--實實在在地(提升)起來 (to pick up substantially or to a palpable degree).  My interpretation, on the other hand, treats 實實在在地 as an *adverb of manner* that modifies 學--踏踏實實地學.


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## 风入松

I would put it as, he commits himself in learning English.


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