Not Gonna Lie
Meaning: To be honest; I must admit
Modern preface to honest confession or admission. Signals the speaker is about to be candid, often about something mildly embarrassing or surprising.
Examples
- Not gonna lie, I'm pretty nervous. 说实话,我挺紧张的。No voy a mentir, estoy bastante nervioso.正直、かなり緊張してる。솔직히 꽤 긴장돼.
- Not gonna lie, that was really good. 说实话,那真的很好吃。No voy a mentir, eso estuvo muy bueno.正直、あれ本当に美味しかった。솔직히 그거 진짜 맛있었어.
- NGL, I had doubts at first. NGL,一开始我有疑虑。NGL, tuve dudas al principio.NGL、最初は疑ってた。솔직히, 처음엔 의심했어.
- Not gonna lie, I didn't expect that.说实话,我没想到会这样。No voy a mentir, no esperaba eso.正直、予想してなかった。솔직히 그건 예상 못 했어.
Pronunciation
/nɒt ɡɒnə laɪ/
Usage Guide
Context: honesty, confessions, admissions
Tone: candid, confessional
✓ Do Say
- Not gonna lie...说实话…No te voy a mentir…正直に言うと…솔직히 말하면…
- NGL...NGL…NGL…NGL…NGL…
- I'm not gonna lie...我不骗你…La verdad, no te voy a mentir…嘘じゃないけど…거짓말 안 하는데…
✗ Don't Say
- Very casual/young非常随意/年轻Muy casual/jovenとてもカジュアル/若者向け매우 캐주얼하고 젊은 층의 표현
- May seem out of place in formal speech在正式场合可能显得格格不入Puede parecer fuera de lugar en discursos formalesフォーマルな場面では場違いに見えることがある격식적인 상황에서는 어색할 수 있음
Common Mistakes
- NGL = text abbreviation
- Young/internet origin
Origin & History
Internet and youth slang from 2010s, abbreviated as NGL in texting. Signals honesty before a candid statement.
Etymology: Declaration of honesty: (I am) not going to lie
First recorded: Internet slang, 2010s
Cultural Context
Era: 2010s onwards
Generation: Younger generations primarily
Social background: Universal
Pop culture: Common on social media; NGL standard in texting
Regional notes: Global internet culture. Young speakers mainly.
Variations
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