French term
à vrai dire
eg: Et a vrai dire je ne crois pas qu'il te plaira.
eg: Personne, a vrai dire n'y songeait vraiment
It seems to me that "to tell the truth" is more appropriate at the beginning of sentences.
What is the most appropriate translation in general ?
| 3 +7 | and to tell you the truth |
Carruthers (X)
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| 4 +3 | In fact Or as a matter of fact |
Gad Kohenov
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| 3 +3 | in actual fact, to be quite honest |
Marie-Ange West
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Feb 1, 2010 13:53: Stéphanie Soudais changed "Term asked" from "a vrai dire " to "à vrai dire "
Feb 1, 2010 13:56: Catharine Cellier-Smart changed "Level" from "PRO" to "Non-PRO"
Non-PRO (3): Chris Hall, Sheila Wilson, Catharine Cellier-Smart
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Proposed translations
and to tell you the truth
"In fact" in second instance
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Note added at 7 mins (2010-02-01 13:51:08 GMT)
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In fact, nobody really thought about it.
| agree |
Chris Hall
1 min
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thank you Chris
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| agree |
Mary Moritz
4 mins
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thank you Mary
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| agree |
Ingeborg Gowans (X)
: or "frankly", as polyglot suggested, depends on the whole text and the tone
20 mins
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thank you Ingeborg, polyglot's right of course, but we make do with what we have./indeed as in "Frankly my dear....", "Franchement, ma chère, c'est le cadet de mes soucis". (I'd have gone for "à vrai dire ma chérie, je m'en tape royalement!)
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| agree |
Ana Resende
35 mins
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thank you Ana
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| agree |
Jean-Claude Gouin
: I would say "To tell the truth" ... without the 'you' ...
1 hr
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and you'd be right, it really comes down to whatever tickles your fancy in a case like this.
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| agree |
margaret caulfield
: I agree with 1045.
4 hrs
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thank you margaret, to tell you the God honest truth, I totally agree with him as well
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| agree |
Verginia Ophof
6 hrs
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Why thank you Verginia
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Israel
30 years of experience+satisfied clients
Native in: French 
, Hebrew
Works in: English to Hebrew, Hebrew to English, French to Hebrew, and 8 more.
In fact Or as a matter of fact
à vrai dire
למעשה, לאמיתו של דבר {in fact}
לאמיתו של דבר, בעצם, למעשה {as a matter of fact}
| agree |
L.J.Wessel van Leeuwen
49 mins
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Thanks a lot~! :))
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| agree |
Jean-Claude Gouin
: "As a matter of fact" est plus anglais ...
1 hr
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Merci beaucoup!
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| agree |
Carruthers (X)
2 hrs
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Thanks a lot!!
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Holder of the "Diploma in translation"
Native in: French
Works in: English to French, French to English
in actual fact, to be quite honest
| agree |
Jean-Claude Gouin
: I would say "To be quite honest ..." I really don't like "in actual fact" here ...
1 hr
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Ok, thank you!
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| agree |
Carruthers (X)
2 hrs
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Merci
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| agree |
margaret caulfield
: Again I agree with 1045.
4 hrs
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Thanks.
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Discussion
Well said.
You could say "to be honest" or "if truth were known" or even "frankly" and there are heaps more options but no one blanket answer