How do you say "We can talk honestly." in Japanese?

"We can talk honestly." in Japanese is "正直に話せる。". This phrase is commonly used in Japan.

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How to Say ‘We can talk honestly.’ in Japanese

Q: What does "正直に話せる。" mean in English?

"正直に話せる。" means "We can talk honestly." in English. Usage tip: Natural “safe-space” phrase. You can also say [正直に話してもいい？] (“Can I speak honestly?”) to check the vibe.

正直に話せる。

shoujiki ni hanaseru

[shoh-jih-kee nee hah-nah-seh-roo]

💬 Usage Tip: Natural “safe-space” phrase. You can also say [正直に話してもいい？] (“Can I speak honestly?”) to check the vibe.

🇯🇵 In Japan: Japanese often values harmony, so explicitly saying you can be honest is a big green flag—especially for “define the relationship” talks.

Phrase Breakdown

正直に

shoujiki ni

honestly; frankly

Adverb meaning “honestly.” Describes how you speak.

Example

正直に話してくれてありがとう。

Thank you for speaking honestly.

Words in this phrase

正直

shoujiki

[shoh-jih-kee]

honest; straightforward

Used with に to mean “honestly.” In relationships, it suggests openness and not pretending.

Example

正直に話せる関係が理想だ。

An ideal relationship is one where we can talk honestly.

に

[nee]

to; at; in; by (particle)

Makes 正直 function adverbially: 正直に (“honestly”).

Example

正直に聞くけど、私のことどう思ってる？

I’ll ask honestly—what do you think of me?

話せる

hanaseru

[hah-nah-seh-roo]

can speak; can talk

Means you’re able to talk (comfortably / openly). Often implies trust: “I can talk with you.”

Example

この人には何でも話せる。

I can talk to this person about anything.

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