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How to Say "candidly" in Spanish

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abiertamente

ah-bee-air-tah-MEN-tehaβjeɾtaˈmente

adverbB1general
Use 'abiertamente' when you want to convey speaking openly and without holding back thoughts or feelings, often about personal matters or sensitive topics.
A child smiling and holding their hands out wide, showing an empty and open wooden box to a friend.

Examples

Ella habla abiertamente de sus problemas.

She talks openly about her problems.

El director admitió abiertamente que cometió un error.

The director openly admitted that he made a mistake.

Muchos ciudadanos se opusieron abiertamente a la nueva ley.

Many citizens openly opposed the new law.

The '-mente' Ending

In Spanish, adding '-mente' to the feminine form of an adjective (abierta) is just like adding '-ly' to an English word. It tells you HOW an action is done.

Word Order for Emphasis

You can place this word after the verb to describe the action, or at the very beginning of a sentence to set the tone for the whole thought.

Confusing with 'Publicly'

Mistake: “Using 'públicamente' when you mean 'honestly'.”

Correction: Use 'abiertamente' when someone is sharing their internal thoughts or feelings honestly, not just when they are in a public place.

Missing the 'a' ending

Mistake: “abiertomente”

Correction: abiertamente. When creating these words, you must always use the 'a' (feminine) version of the original adjective.

francamente

FRAHN-kah-MEHN-tayfɾaŋkaˈmente

adverbB1general
Use 'francamente' when you are expressing a direct, honest opinion or judgment, often with a sense of 'to be honest' or 'frankly speaking'.
A figure gently holding a stylized mask away from their face, revealing a clear, open expression underneath, symbolizing honesty.

Examples

Francamente, creo que la película fue aburrida.

Frankly, I think the movie was boring.

Dime francamente lo que piensas de mi idea, no quiero mentiras.

Tell me honestly what you think of my idea; I don't want lies.

Para ser sincero, francamente no esperaba un resultado tan bueno.

To be sincere, honestly I didn't expect such a good result.

Adverbs Ending in -mente

Most Spanish adverbs that describe how something is done end in '-mente.' They are formed by taking the feminine form of an adjective (like 'franca') and adding '-mente.' They always stay the same, regardless of who is speaking or how many people are involved.

Placement is Flexible

Mistake: “Using 'francamente' only at the beginning of the sentence.”

Correction: While common at the start, you can place it after the verb for emphasis: 'Me lo dijo francamente.' (He told me it frankly.)

Openness vs. Directness

Learners often confuse 'abiertamente' and 'francamente' by using 'abiertamente' for strong opinions when 'francamente' is more appropriate. Remember, 'abiertamente' is about revealing things, while 'francamente' is about stating an opinion directly.

Related Translations

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