honestamente
/oˌnestaˈmente/
In Spanish, honestly is translated as honestamente. Wiktionary also lists para ser honesto and si me apuras.
Meaning: (speech act) frankly (adv)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| honestamente | /oˌnestaˈmente/ |
| para ser honesto | /paɾa seɾ onesto/ (from spelling rules) |
| si me apuras | /si me apuɾas/ (from spelling rules) |
These terms are used as speech acts to express frankness or to introduce a truthful statement. While honestamente is a direct adverb, you can also use the synonym sinceramente to mean 'sincerely' or 'frankly'.
Which one should you use?
Honestamente is a direct adverb. In contrast, para ser honesto is a common idiomatic phrase used specifically when introducing a statement, meaning 'to be honest'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, the informal phrase Posta posta is used to mean 'truthfully' or 'seriously'.
How does it change in a sentence?
If the speaker is female, the phrase para ser honesto must change to para ser honesta to agree with the speaker's gender.
How do you pronounce it?
/oˌnestaˈmente/
Did you know?
- If you use the phrase si me apuras to mean 'honestly', you are actually using a phrase that literally translates to 'if you hurry me'.
- The suffix -mente used to create honestamente originates from the Latin word mēns, which means 'mind'.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, starting a sentence with para ser honesto can ironically signal that the speaker is about to say something critical or unpleasant.
Examples in context
- Honestamente, no pensé que Tom estaría aquí.I honestly didn't know Tom would be here.This example shows how to use honestamente to introduce a thought.Tatoeba #3888966 by SrTortuga, translation #3733292 by CK
- Honestamente…Honestly…This example shows the use of honestamente as a standalone expression.Tatoeba #8252671 by MilkFrosties, translation #6078396 by carlosalberto
- Respondé honestamente.Answer honestly.This example demonstrates how to use honestamente to instruct someone to speak truthfully.Tatoeba #2911811 by hayastan, translation #10013090 by ddnktr
- Para ser honesto/a, no estoy de acuerdo con esa decisión.To be honest, I don't agree with that decision.
- Hablando con franqueza, creo que esa estrategia no dará buenos resultados.Speaking candidly, I think that strategy won't yield good results.
- Siendo sincero/a, no creo que esa sea la mejor solución.Being sincere, I don't believe that is the best solution.
- La verdad, no me gustó para nada la película.Honestly, I didn't like the movie at all.
- A decir verdad, no sé qué hacer en esta situación.To tell the truth, I don't know what to do in this situation.
- De veras, esa película me hizo reír mucho.Honestly, that movie made me laugh a lot.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Mateo are discussing a new movie they saw.
- Sofía¿Te gustó la película, Mateo?Did you like the movie, Mateo?
- MateoHonestamente, me pareció un poco aburrida.Honestly, I found it a bit boring.
- Sofía¡Qué lástima! A mí me encantó.That's a shame! I loved it.
- MateoLo siento, Sofía, pero no es mi estilo.I'm sorry, Sofia, but it is not my style.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “honestly” translations and entries honestamente, si me apuras, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries honestamente, honesto, me, para, ser, si, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
