a dire il vero
/a ˈdi.re il ˈve.ro/word by word
The English phrase 'to be honest' can be translated into Italian as a dire il vero.
The phrase a dire il vero is commonly used at the beginning of a sentence to introduce a candid or slightly unexpected opinion.
Meaning: frankly (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, the phrase translates to 'to say the truth'.
Which one should you use?
While a dire il vero is the idiomatic way to say 'to be honest', you may also see a essere onesti, which is a more literal translation of the English phrase.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase a dire il vero is an impersonal infinitive construction, meaning it does not change based on the subject of the sentence.
How do you pronounce it?
/a ˈdi.re il ˈve.ro/
Did you know?
- The phrase a dire il vero is often used as a conversational 'buffer' to soften a criticism, making a blunt statement feel more like a personal observation than an attack.
- The verb dire comes from a root meaning 'to show' or 'to point out'. This suggests that in ancient times, speaking was viewed as a physical gesture of indicating something to others.
- In Italian, the concept of 'truth' is expressed with il vero, whereas the word verità is used for 'truth' as a general concept or a virtue. A dire il vero specifically targets the factual accuracy of a statement.
Examples in context
- A dire il vero, non è stato poi così male.It wasn't that bad, to be honest.This sentence is useful for illustrating how to use a dire il vero to describe a situation that was not as bad as expected.Tatoeba #11787202 by Nuel, translation #11787201 by Nuel
- A dire il vero, ultimamente non riesco a pensare con molta lucidità.To be honest, I'm not thinking very clearly lately.This sentence shows how to use a dire il vero when expressing a lack of mental clarity.Tatoeba #14025221 by unforgiven95, translation #10295652 by shekitten
- A dire il vero, la situazione attuale richiede un'azione immediata.To be honest, the current situation requires immediate action.
- Onestamente, non sono soddisfatto dei risultati finora ottenuti.To be honest, I am not satisfied with the results achieved so far.
- Per essere sinceri, non ritengo che questa soluzione sia la migliore.To be honest, I do not believe this solution is the best.
- Sinceramente, non mi piace affatto il nuovo aspetto del sito web.To be honest, I really don't like the new look of the website.
- Davvero, non pensavo che potesse finire così male.To be honest, I didn't think it could end up so badly.
- In tutta sincerità, non mi sono divertito durante quella festa.To be honest, I didn't enjoy myself during that party.
- A dire il vero, preferisco il caffè senza zucchero.To be honest, I prefer coffee without sugar.
Example conversation
Alessandro and Martina are discussing a movie they just watched.
- AlessandroTi è piaciuto il film, Martina?Did you like the movie, Martina?
- MartinaA dire il vero, mi è sembrato un po' lungo.To be honest, it seemed a bit long to me.
- AlessandroSì, anch'io l'ho trovato un po' noioso.Yes, I also found it a bit boring.
- MartinaPerò la musica era davvero bella.But the music was really beautiful.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (a, dire, il, vero) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, a dire il vero, dire, il, vero, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
