PLAIN SPEAKING - Translation from English into German | PONS

How would you like to use PONS.com?

Already PONS Pur or PONS Translate Pro subscriber?

PONS with ads

Go to PONS.com as usual with ad tracking and advertisements.

You can find details of tracking in Information about data protection and under Privacy settings.

PONS Pur

without advertising by third parties

without ad tracking

If you already have a user account for PONS.com, then you can subscribe to PONS Pur .

We process your data to deliver content or advertisements and measure the delivery of such content or advertisements to extract insights about our website. We share this information with our partners on the basis of consent and legitimate interest. You may exercise your right to consent or object to a legitimate interest, based on a specific purpose below or at a partner level in the link under each purpose. These choices will be signaled to our vendors participating in the Transparency and Consent Framework.

Cookies, device or similar online identifiers (e.g. login-based identifiers, randomly assigned identifiers, network based identifiers) together with other information (e.g. browser type and information, language, screen size, supported technologies etc.) can be stored or read on your device to recognise it each time it connects to an app or to a website, for one or several of the purposes presented here.

Advertising and content can be personalised based on your profile. Your activity on this service can be used to build or improve a profile about you for personalised advertising and content. Advertising and content performance can be measured. Reports can be generated based on your activity and those of others. Your activity on this service can help develop and improve products and services.

Legal notice Data protection Privacy settings

in the PONS Dictionary

plain ˈspeak·ing N no pl

plain speaking: offene [o. deutliche] Worte

in the PONS Dictionary

to speak plain English: sich acc klar [und deutlich] ausdrücken

in the PONS Dictionary

I. speak <spoke, spoken> [spi:k] VB intr

1. speak (say words):

speak: sprechen <spricht, sprach, gesprochen>

speak: reden

speak when you're spoken to: antworte, wenn man dich etwas fragt!

to speak about sth: über etw acc sprechen

to speak over a loudspeaker: über Lautsprecher sprechen

to speak into a microphone: in ein Mikrofon sprechen

to speak in platitudes: Allgemeinplätze verwenden

to speak in riddles: in Rätseln sprechen

to speak in [or with] a whisper: flüstern

to speak in [or with] a whisper: im Flüsterton sprechen

to speak quickly: schnell sprechen

2. speak (converse):

speak: sich acc unterhalten

to speak to [or esp Am with] sb: mit jdm reden [o. sprechen]

I'll never speak to you again!: ich rede nie wieder mit dir!

I'd like to speak to Mrs Robert, please: ich möchte bitte Frau Robert sprechen

can I speak to Ian please? — speaking!: kann ich bitte [mit] Ian sprechen? — am Apparat!

to speak to [or esp Am with] sb about sth: mit jdm über etw acc sprechen

to speak on [or over] the telephone: telefonieren

to speak to each other once more: wieder miteinander reden

3. speak (rebuke):

to speak to sb [about sth]: jdn [für etw acc] zurechtweisen

4. speak (know language):

speak: sprechen <spricht, sprach, gesprochen>

she speaks with an American accent: sie spricht mit amerikanischem Akzent

to speak in dialect: einen Dialekt sprechen

to speak in jargon: einen Jargon benutzen

to speak in a foreign language: in einer fremden Sprache sprechen

5. speak + adv (view):

broadly [or generally]speaking: im Allgemeinen

geographically speaking: vom geografischen Standpunkt aus

scientifically speaking: wissenschaftlich gesehen

strictly speaking: genaugenommen

6. speak (make speech):

speak: reden

speak: sprechen <spricht, sprach, gesprochen>

the Queen speaks to the nation on television every Christmas: die Queen richtet jedes Weihnachten das Wort an die Nation

to speak on behalf of sb/sth: in jds Namen/im Namen einer S. gen reden

to speak in the debate: in der Debatte das Wort ergreifen

to speak from memory: frei sprechen

to speak from notes: von einer Vorlage ablesen

to speak from a platform: vom Podium sprechen

7. speak (appeal):

to speak to sb: jdn ansprechen

the story spoke to her directly: die Geschichte sprach sie direkt an

Phrases:

actions speak louder than words prov: Taten sagen mehr als Worte prov

speaking as sb ...: als jd ...

speaking as a mother of four, I can tell you that children are exhausting: als Mutter von vier Kindern kann ich sagen, dass Kinder anstrengend sind

to know sb to speak to: jdn näher kennen

so to speak: sozusagen

to speak too soon: voreilig urteilen

II. speak <spoke, spoken> [spi:k] VB trans

1. speak (say):

to speak sth: etw sagen

to not speak a word: kein Wort herausbringen

2. speak (language):

to speak sth: etw sprechen

“English spoken”: „hier wird Englisch gesprochen“

I couldn't speak a word of English when I first arrived in Australia: ich sprach kein Wort Englisch, als ich zum ersten Mal in Australien ankam

to speak dialect: Dialekt sprechen

to speak English fluently: fließend Englisch sprechen

to speak a foreign language: eine Fremdsprache sprechen [können]

to speak the lingo inf: die Sprache drauf haben inf

3. speak (represent):

to speak one's mind: sagen, was man denkt

to speak the truth: die Wahrheit sagen

4. speak (reveal):

to speak sth: etw aussprechen

she was silent but her eyes spoke her real feelings for him: sie schwieg, aber ihre Augen verrieten ihre wahren Gefühle für ihn

Phrases:

to speak the same language: die gleiche Sprache sprechen

to speak volumes [for [or Am about] sth]: Bände [über etw acc] sprechen

I. speak·ing [ˈspi:kɪŋ] N no pl

speaking (act): Sprechen nt <-s>

speaking (hold a speech): Reden nt

unaccustomed as I am to public speaking ...: ungeübt wie ich es bin, in der Öffentlichkeit zu reden ...

II. speak·ing [ˈspi:kɪŋ] ADJ attr, inv

1. speaking (able to speak):

speaking: sprechend

2. speaking (involving speech):

speaking tour: Vortragsreihe f <-, -n>

speaking voice: Sprechstimme f

3. speaking fig (lifelike):

speaking: verblüffend

speaking likeness: verblüffende Ähnlichkeit

Phrases:

to be on speaking terms (acquainted): miteinander bekannt sein

to be on speaking terms (friendly): miteinander reden

they are no longer on speaking with each other: sie reden nicht mehr miteinander

I. plain [pleɪn] ADJ

1. plain:

plain (simple): einfach <einfacher, am einfachsten>

plain (not flavoured): natur nach n

plain food: einfaches Essen

my father says he likes good plain food: mein Vater sagt, er isst gerne einfache Hausmannskost

plain omelette: Omelette nature f

plain paper (unlined): unliniertes Papier

plain paper (of one colour): einfarbiges Papier

plain yoghurt: Naturjoghurt m o nt

2. plain (uncomplicated):

plain: einfach <einfacher, am einfachsten>

plain folks [or people]: einfache Leute

plain and simple: ganz einfach

3. plain (clear):

plain: klar <klarer, am klarsten>

plain: offensichtlich

her meaning was plain: es war klar, was sie meinte

it's plain that they ...: sie wollen ganz offensichtlich, dass ...

the sign was plain enough — we just didn't see it: das Schild war klar und deutlich — wir haben es nur einfach übersehen

to be perfectly plain: ganz offensichtlich sein

the reason is perfectly plain: der Grund liegt auf der Hand

to make sth plain: etw klarstellen

have I made myself plain to you?: habe ich mich klar ausgedrückt?

to be plain with sb: jdm gegenüber [ganz] offen sein

4. plain attr, inv (sheer):

plain: rein <reiner, am reinsten>

plain: pur

it was plain torture: es war die reinste Tortur

the plain truth is that ...: die traurige Wahrheit ist, dass ...

5. plain (unattractive):

plain: unscheinbar

plain: unansehnlich

plain Jane: Mauerblümchen nt

Phrases:

to be as plain as the nose on one's face [or Brit also as a pikestaff]: ganz offensichtlich [o. A inf a. sonnenklar] sein

to be as plain as the nose on one's face [or Brit also as a pikestaff]: klar wie Kloßbrühe sein inf FRG

II. plain [pleɪn] ADV

1. plain (simply):

plain: ohne großen Aufwand

the fish had been grilled and served plain: der Fisch war gegrillt und kam ohne weitere Zutaten auf den Tisch

2. plain inf (downright):

plain: einfach <einfacher, am einfachsten>

plain awful: einfach furchtbar

III. plain [pleɪn] N

1. plain (area of flat land):

plain: Ebene f <-, -n>

the plains pl: die Ebene kein pl

the plains pl: das Flachland

the Great Plains: die Great Plains (in den USA)

2. plain (in knitting):

plain: rechte Masche

OpenDict entry

speak

to speak about sth/sb: von etw/jdm sprechen

to speak on: eine Rede halten über

to speak with sb: sich mit jdm unterhalten

OpenDict entry

speak VB

as we speak: jetzt gerade

as we speak: während wir hier gerade reden/diskutieren/sprechen/zusammensitzen etc. ...

OpenDict entry

speak VB

could you speak more slowly, please?: sprechen Sie bitte etwas langsamer

OpenDict entry

plain ADJ

plain (simple, uncomplicated): simpel

Present
I	speak
you	speak
he/she/it	speaks
we	speak
you	speak
they	speak

Past
I	spoke
you	spoke
he/she/it	spoke
we	spoke
you	spoke
they	spoke

Present Perfect
I	have	spoken
you	have	spoken
he/she/it	has	spoken
we	have	spoken
you	have	spoken
they	have	spoken

Past Perfect
I	had	spoken
you	had	spoken
he/she/it	had	spoken
we	had	spoken
you	had	spoken
they	had	spoken

See further verb tables

PONS OpenDict

Would you like to add a word, a phrase or a translation?

We'd love you to send us a new entry for PONS OpenDict. The submitted suggestions are reviewed by the PONS editorial team and incorporated into the results accordingly.

Open Dict Card

No example sentences available

No example sentences available

Try using a different entry.

Monolingual examples (not verified by PONS Editors)

He is known to be loud and boisterous and believes in plain speaking and taking direct action rather than sneaking around.

en.wikipedia.org

He appeared to confuse the other guests with his direct, plain speaking dialogue.

en.wikipedia.org

Plain speaking of this order is not usually a way to win friends and influence people.

en.wikipedia.org

She believes in corporal punishment and plain speaking, which is what she calls being offensive.

www.ibtimes.co.uk

Attraction is instant and understanding is mutual, largely because they share a fondness for plain speaking.

Browse the dictionary

Look up "plain speaking" in other languages