How to Say “To Be Honest With You” in German

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um ehrlich zu sein
/ʊm ˈeːrlɪç t͡sə saɪ̯n/word by word
The German phrase for "to be honest with you" is um ehrlich zu sein.
The phrase is used to introduce a statement that expresses a truthful or candid opinion. Note that unlike the English phrase, um ehrlich zu sein does not explicitly include the word "you" (such as dir or Ihnen).

Which one should you use?

While um ehrlich zu sein is a standard way to express this, you might encounter other variations. Ehrlich gesagt is a common, slightly more colloquial alternative that can be translated as "honestly said." In very casual settings, you might hear Mal ehrlich, which functions similarly to "seriously" or "let's be honest."

Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?

The level of formality dictates which phrase you should choose. For a polite way to introduce an honest opinion or insight in formal situations, use Wenn ich ehrlich sein darf. For everyday or casual speech, um ehrlich zu sein or the more colloquial ehrlich gesagt are appropriate, while Mal ehrlich is informal.

How do you pronounce it?

/ʊm ˈeːrlɪç tsə saɪ̯n/

Did you know?

  • The word ehrlich is built from Ehre, meaning 'honour', and the suffix -lich. Historically, being 'honest' was seen as being a person of honour.

Examples in context

  • Um ehrlich zu sein, muss ich sagen, dass ich mit Ihrem Vorschlag nicht einverstanden bin.
    To be honest, I must say that I disagree with your proposal.
  • Wenn ich ehrlich sein darf, fand ich Ihre Präsentation etwas verwirrend.
    If I may be honest, I found your presentation a bit confusing.
  • Ganz ehrlich gesagt, halte ich Ihr Angebot für nicht angemessen.
    To be completely honest with you, I consider your offer to be inadequate.
  • Mal ehrlich, das war doch ziemlich peinlich, oder nicht?
    Seriously, that was pretty embarrassing, wasn't it?
  • Um ehrlich zu sein, gefällt mir das Kleid nicht.
    To be honest, I don't like the dress.
  • Ich bin müde, um ehrlich zu sein.
    I am tired, to be honest.
  • Um ehrlich zu sein, habe ich keine Zeit.
    To be honest, I don't have time.

Example conversation

Maximilian and Laura are discussing a movie they just watched.

  1. Maximilian

    Wie fandest du den Film, Laura?
    How did you find the movie, Laura?
  2. Laura

    Um ehrlich zu sein, war er ziemlich langweilig.
    To be honest, it was quite boring.
  3. Maximilian

    Das sehe ich auch so.
    I see it that way too.
  4. Laura

    Aber das Popcorn war gut.
    But the popcorn was good.

Sources

  • IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (um, ehrlich, zu, sein) and can differ in connected speech.
  • Word origins: Wiktionary entries ehrlich, sein, um, zu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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Molly Ida
Molly IdaHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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