HSK 7-9
说真的
shuō zhēn de
Seriously; to be honest
Structure
说真的 + [Subject] + [Predicate/Clause]
How it works
The phrase '说真的' is used as a sentence adverb to signal that the speaker is expressing their genuine feelings or a sincere opinion. It functions similarly to 'to be honest' or 'truthfully speaking' in English and is often used to emphasize the seriousness of a statement or to preface a blunt truth.
Examples
说真的，我并不太看好这个项目的长期前景。
Shuō zhēn de, wǒ bìng bù tài kànhǎo zhège xiàngmù de chángqī qiánjǐng.
To be honest, I'm not very optimistic about the long-term prospects of this project.
说真的，要是没有你的帮助，我根本无法按时完成任务。
Shuō zhēn de, yàoshi méiyǒu nǐ de bāngzhù, wǒ gēnběn wúfǎ ànshí wánchéng rènwù.
Seriously, if it weren't for your help, I wouldn't have been able to complete the task on time at all.
他说他想辞职，说真的，我一点儿也不感到意外。
Tā shuō tā xiǎng cízhí, shuō zhēn de, wǒ yìdiǎnr yě bù gǎndào yìwài.
He said he wants to resign; truthfully, I'm not surprised at all.
Common mistakes
Do not confuse '说真的' with '真的说', as the latter would literally mean 'actually saying' or 'really saying' and does not function as an introductory phrase.
Tip
In formal or written contexts, you can use the more sophisticated equivalent '老实说' (lǎoshí shuō) or '坦率地说' (tǎnshuài de shuō) to convey the same meaning.
More HSK 7-9 grammar
See 说真的 in real Chinese
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