In casual conversation, what does "totally" mean? Since it is an informal expression, what would be good alternatives that could replace "totally?"
Native speaker’s answer
Rebecca
In casual conversation conversation "totally" means completely or absolutely. It can also mean "really" for emphasis. And sometimes it has both nuances! Some other words you could use instead of "totally" in formal situations would be "completely", "very", "quite", or "absolutely." Ex: I totally didn't mean to scare you. => really or completely Ex: I'm completely ready to give my speech. Ex: I'm quite happy with the outcome. = I'm totally happy with the outcome.