Truth be told Meaning in English
expression
ˈtɹuθ/ /ˈbi/, /bi/ /ˈtoʊɫd
TROOTH bee TOHLD
tɹˈuːθ/ /bˈiː/ /tˈəʊld
trooth bee TOHLD
Definition
A phrase you use when you want to be honest or admit something that might be surprising or different from what was expected.
Usage & Nuances
Mainly informal and often used at the start of a sentence. Signals honesty or a confession, sometimes softening mild criticism or bad news. Similar to 'to be honest' or 'frankly'. Not used in formal writing.
Spanish: la verdad sea dicha - siendo sinceroPortuguese (BR): pra falar a verdade - falando sinceramentePortuguese (PT): para ser sincero - dizendo a verdadeChinese (Simplified): 说实话Chinese (Traditional): 說實話Hindi: सच कहूँ तोArabic: بصراحة - إذا كان علي أن أكون صادقاًBengali: সত্যি কথা বলতে - সত্যি বলতেRussian: по правде говоря - честно говоряJapanese: 正直に言うと - 実を言うとVietnamese: thật ra mà nói - thành thật mà nóiKorean: 솔직히 말하면 - 사실대로 말하자면Turkish: doğrusunu söylemek gerekirse - açıkçasıUrdu: سچ بتاؤں تو - سچ کہوں توIndonesian: sejujurnya - sebenarnya
Example Sentences
Truth be told, I forgot your birthday.
basic
Truth be told, I don't like vegetables much.
basic
Truth be told, I'm a little nervous about the exam.
basic
Truth be told, I didn't really enjoy the movie everyone liked.
natural
Truth be told, I haven’t finished the report yet.
natural
Truth be told, I was hoping you’d offer to help.
natural