no te voy a mentir
/no te boi a mentiɾ/from spelling rules
The Spanish phrase for "not gonna lie" is no te voy a mentir.
This phrase is used as a conversational filler or a preamble to emphasize that the speaker is being honest about their true feelings or opinions, often when about to express a blunt or potentially unpopular opinion.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a literal translation of "I am not going to lie to you": no means "not", te means "to you", voy a means "I am going to" and mentir means "to lie".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase no te voy a mentir is most natural in informal or semi-formal spoken Spanish rather than in formal writing.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, no te voy a mentir is a common phrase used to convey "not gonna lie". Another common way to express this in Mexico is no te lo voy a negar.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can change the pronoun to adjust who you are addressing. Use no le voy a mentir if you are speaking to someone in a formal context or to a superior. To address a group of people (you all), use no les voy a mentir instead of te or le.
Did you know?
- The verb mentir comes from the Latin word mentīrī, which is the root of the English word 'mendacious', meaning untruthful.
- When you want to give a blunt or harsh critique, switching from the informal no te voy a mentir to the formal no le voy a mentir can actually make the statement sound more polite and respectful.
- Even though the phrase is used to express honesty, it often functions as a 'social lubricant' in Spanish conversations, signaling that the speaker intends to prioritize being truthful over being traditionally polite.
Examples in context
- No voy a mentir, la situación es complicadaI'm not gonna lie, the situation is complicated
- No te voy a engañar, la película no me gustóNot gonna lie, I didn't like the movie
- No te voy a mentir, la comida estaba horrible.Not gonna lie, the food was horrible.
- No te voy a mentir, tengo mucho miedo.Not gonna lie, I am very scared.
- No te voy a mentir, me encanta ese vestido.Not gonna lie, I love that dress.
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are talking about a movie they just saw.
- Lucía¿Te gustó la película, Javier?Did you like the movie, Javier?
- JavierNo te voy a mentir, fue un poco aburrida.Not gonna lie, it was a bit boring.
- Lucía¡Qué lástima! A mí me pareció genial.What a shame! I thought it was great.
- JavierA cada uno le gusta algo diferente.To each their own.
