Cool MateNo shit vs Really
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
No shit
SlangTop 5,000 (fairly common)
Really
Top 1,000 (very common)A1adverb
Most formal: ReallyMost common: Really
| No shit | Really | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //nəʊ ʃɪt//🇺🇸 //noʊ ʃɪt// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈriːəli//ˈrɪəli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈriːəli/"]/ |
| Meaning | An expression used to show that something is obvious or true. | very or truly |
| Example | Did you see that movie? It was amazing! No shit! | I really enjoy going to the beach. |
| Register | Slang | Neutral |
| How common | Top 5,000 (fairly common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | A1 |
| Part of speech | adverb | |
| Collocations | no shit, Sherlock, no shit, really, no shit, of course | really want, really good, really sure, really excited, really important |
| Antonyms | - | seldom, never |
| Common mistakes | Used in formal writing or speech., Confused with 'no kidding' or 'really' in different contexts., Overused to the point of losing emphasis. | Using it in place of 'real' when describing a noun., Confusing it with 'really' in terms of degree, e.g., 'really good' instead of 'very good'. |
| Usage notes | Used informally to emphasize the obviousness of a statement. Not appropriate in formal situations. | Used to emphasize an adjective or another adverb. It can be informal in casual conversations but is accepted in most contexts; avoid overusing it in formal writing. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: No shit vs Really
What's the difference between No shit and Really?
No shit: An expression used to show that something is obvious or true. Really: very or truly
Which is more formal: No shit and Really?
Really is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: No shit and Really?
Really is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
No shit: Did you see that movie? It was amazing! No shit! Really: I really enjoy going to the beach.
Can I use No shit and Really interchangeably?
Not always. No shit and Really are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.