Definition
Used to introduce a direct, honest, or blunt statement; speaking candidly without pretense or diplomacy.
Etymology
This phrase combines 'quite' (meaning completely or entirely) with 'frankly' (from 'frank,' meaning free, open, or honest). 'Frank' derives from the medieval Franks, who as free people could speak openly. The combined phrase emerged in the 18th century as a way to signal forthright speech.
Kelly Says
The word 'frank' originally referred to the Frankish people who enjoyed freedom of speech as free citizens, making this phrase a linguistic fossil of medieval social hierarchy. Ironically, 'quite frankly' is often used to soften potentially harsh truths, even though its literal meaning suggests the opposite of diplomatic softening.
Translations
AMአማርኛ
በ真ነት ሲነገር
be-ma-net si-ne-ger
ARالعربية
بصراحة
bi-sra-ha
BNবাংলা
সত্যি বলতে
so-tyi bol-te
CACatalà
per a ser sincer
per a ser sin-ser
CSČeština
upřímně řečeno
up-rim-ne reh-che-no
DADansk
ærligt sagt
ar-ligt saht
DEDeutsch
ehrlich gesagt
ayr-lihk zäh-gen
ELΕλληνικά
απολύτως ειλικρινά
a-po-ly-to-s ee-li-kri-na
ESEspañol
francamente
fran-kah-men-teh
FAفارسی
با صراحت بگویم
ba soruhat be-goo-yam
FISuomi
todellakin sanottuna
to-del-la-kin san-ot-tu-na
FRFrançais
franchement
fran-shé-mèn
GUGU
સાચેમાં કહીએ
sa-acheh ma-n ka-hee-ay
HAHA
a gaskiya
a gas-kee-ya
HEעברית
לגמרי솔직
le-ga-ma-ri so-leek
HIहिन्दी
खुलेआम कहें
khule-aam kahein
HUMagyar
őszintén szólva
oesh-intén sohl-va
IDBahasa Indonesia
jujurnya
joo-joor-nya
IGIG
n'eche n'eche
neh-cheh neh-cheh
ITItaliano
onestamente
oh-nes-ta-men-teh
JA日本語
正直に言って
sho-cho-ni i-i-te
KKKK
сыныптан айтсақ
synyp-tan ayt-saq
KMKM
ប្រាប់ពិត
bra-ap-pivet
KO한국어
솔직히 말해서
sol-jik-hi mal-hae-seo
MRMR
वास्तवात म्हणजे
vaas-ta-vaat mhan-je
MSBahasa Melayu
jujurnya
joo-joor-nya
MYမြန်မာ
အကြမ်းဖြစ်သည်
a-kya-n-hpyit-thi-de
NLNederlands
eerlijk gezegd
eir-lihk zo-ge-dacht
NONorsk
ærlig talt
air-lig tal-t
PAPA
ਸੱਚੇ Dissolved
saach-ay sohl-ved
PLPolski
szczerze mówiąc
shchen-zeh mow-ya-yts
PTPortuguês
honestamente
oh-nes-tan-men-teh
RORomână
pe deplin seriozitate
peh deh-plin se-ree-oh-zah-teh
RUРусский
честно говоря
chesh-no go-vor-ya
SVSvenska
ärligt sagt
air-lit saht
SWKiswahili
kwa kweli
kwa kwe-li
TAதமிழ்
சொல்லப்போகிறேன்
sol-la-po-gi-re-n
TEతెలుగు
స실ంగా చెప్పాలి
sa-si-nga cheppa-ali
THไทย
พูดตรงๆ
poot dtrong-dton
TLTL
tulad ng totoo
too-lad ng too-too
TRTürkçe
dürüstçe söylemek gerekirse
dur-ust-cheh soh-leh-mek ge-rek-ir-seh
UKУкраїнська
по-справжньому кажучи
po-spra-vzh-nu-mu ka-zhu-chi
URاردو
صریح الفاظ میں
sa-reeh fa-waz mein
VITiếng Việt
thật lòng mà nói
thật-long-ma-noi
YOYO
ni gbogbo
ni gbo-gbo
ZUZU
ngokuthula
ngok-oo-thoo-la