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How to Say ‘Honestly, a bit of both.’ in German

Ganz ehrlich, ein bisschen beides.

gahnts AIR-likh ine BISS-khen BYE-dess

[gahnts AIR-likh ine BISS-khen BYE-dess]

🇩🇪 In Germany: Owning up to it with humour is a charming move here. Germans tend to appreciate honesty over smoothness.

Phrase Breakdown

Ganz ehrlich,

gahnts AIR-likh

Honestly,

Literally 'quite honestly'. It introduces a frank answer. The 'h' in 'ehrlich' is silent.

Example

Ganz ehrlich, ich weiß es nicht.

Honestly, I don't know.

Words in this phrase

Ganz

[gahnts]

quite; completely; absolutely

Used for emphasis, often meaning 'absolutely' in short replies.

Example

Ganz bestimmt gefällt uns das Geschenk.

We will absolutely like the gift.

ehrlich

[AIR-likh]

honest(ly)

Adjective/adverb for being truthful.

Example

Sei ehrlich zu mir.

Be honest with me.

ein bisschen beides.

ine BISS-khen BYE-dess

a bit of both.

A playful way to admit that both options are true.

Example

Bin ich müde oder hungrig? Ein bisschen beides.

Am I tired or hungry? A bit of both.

Words in this phrase

ein

[ine]

a; an

The article used before the masculine noun "Schuss."

Example

In „Wow, was für ein Schuss!“ steht „ein“ vor „Schuss“.

In "Wow, what a shot!", "ein" comes before "Schuss."

bisschen

[BISS-khen]

little bit

Used to ask for a small amount of something, such as milk or sugar.

Example

Nur ein bisschen Milch, bitte.

Just a little milk, please.

beides

[BYE-dess]

both

Means two options together, for example cooling and heating.

Example

Beides ist für uns wichtig: kühlen und heizen.

Both are important for us: cooling and heating.

Guides for German learners

Duolingo vs Pimsleur: Tapping on a Screen or Talking Out Loud?Duolingo vs Pimsleur: five minutes of tapping versus thirty minutes of speaking. What each is good at, what each costs, and which to pick for your goal.

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