seine Meinung sagen
To express one's opinion
Littéralement: to say one's opinion
Use this phrase to show you are being honest and direct in any social or professional setting.
En 15 secondes
- Expressing your thoughts clearly and directly.
- Requires matching possessive pronouns like 'meine' or 'deine'.
- Highly valued in German culture for its honesty.
Signification
This phrase is all about being open and honest. It means telling someone exactly what you think about a topic without sugarcoating it.
Exemples clés
3 sur 7In a work meeting
Ich möchte dazu kurz meine Meinung sagen.
I would like to briefly express my opinion on that.
Giving advice to a friend
Du solltest ihm ehrlich deine Meinung sagen.
You should honestly tell him your opinion.
Texting about a movie
Sag mir deine Meinung zum Film!
Tell me your opinion on the movie!
Contexte culturel
In German culture, 'Direktheit' (directness) is highly valued. Expressing your opinion is seen as a sign of honesty and reliability rather than rudeness. This phrase reflects the social expectation that individuals should contribute their unique perspective to a discussion.
The Pronoun Swap
Always remember to change the 'seine' to match who is talking. It's 'meine' for me, 'deine' for you, and 'unsere' for us!
Don't overdo it
While Germans love directness, starting every sentence with 'Meine Meinung ist...' can make you sound a bit stubborn.
En 15 secondes
- Expressing your thoughts clearly and directly.
- Requires matching possessive pronouns like 'meine' or 'deine'.
- Highly valued in German culture for its honesty.
What It Means
Seine Meinung sagen is the backbone of German honesty. It means sharing your thoughts or stance on a matter. You aren't just chatting. You are making your position clear. It is about being authentic and direct. In English, we might say 'to speak one's mind.'
How To Use It
You need to match the possessive pronoun to the person speaking. If I speak, I say meine Meinung. If you speak, you say deine Meinung. The verb sagen goes at the end in some sentences. In others, it stays in the second position. It is a very flexible phrase. You can add adverbs like ehrlich (honestly) or offen (openly) to add punch.
When To Use It
Use this when a decision needs to be made. It is perfect for a meeting at work. Use it when a friend asks for fashion advice. It works well in a restaurant if the food is cold. Germans appreciate clarity. They often prefer a clear opinion over polite silence. It shows you are engaged and care about the outcome.
When NOT To Use It
Avoid using it if you want to be extremely diplomatic. Sometimes, 'saying your opinion' can sound a bit confrontational. If you are in a very delicate social situation, be careful. Don't use it to just be mean. There is a fine line between being direct and being rude. If you don't have all the facts, maybe wait a bit.
Cultural Background
Germany is a 'low-context' culture. This means people rely on explicit words. Being direct is a sign of respect. It saves time for everyone involved. There is even a word for it: Direktheit. Children are often encouraged to speak up early. It is not seen as talking back. It is seen as developing a strong character.
Common Variations
You might hear seine Meinung äußern. This is a bit more formal. Another one is seine Meinung geigen. This is idiomatic and means to tell someone off. If you want to be very firm, use klipp und klar seine Meinung sagen. This means to say it 'loud and clear.'
Notes d'usage
The phrase is neutral and can be used in almost any context. The most important thing for learners is to correctly decline the possessive pronoun to match the subject.
The Pronoun Swap
Always remember to change the 'seine' to match who is talking. It's 'meine' for me, 'deine' for you, and 'unsere' for us!
Don't overdo it
While Germans love directness, starting every sentence with 'Meine Meinung ist...' can make you sound a bit stubborn.
The 'Feierabend' Rule
In Germany, people might 'seine Meinung sagen' very harshly at work, but then go grab a beer together immediately after. It's rarely personal!
Exemples
7Ich möchte dazu kurz meine Meinung sagen.
I would like to briefly express my opinion on that.
A polite way to interrupt and contribute to a professional discussion.
Du solltest ihm ehrlich deine Meinung sagen.
You should honestly tell him your opinion.
Encouraging a friend to be transparent in a relationship.
Sag mir deine Meinung zum Film!
Tell me your opinion on the movie!
A casual way to ask for a review or thought.
Endlich hat mal jemand seine Meinung gesagt!
Finally, someone said what they think!
Used when someone is relieved that a difficult truth was spoken.
Er muss immer und überall seine Meinung sagen.
He has to give his opinion always and everywhere.
A slightly sarcastic comment about someone who talks too much.
Jeder Bürger darf seine Meinung frei sagen.
Every citizen is allowed to express their opinion freely.
Refers to the constitutional right of free speech.
Ich werde dem Kellner jetzt meine Meinung sagen.
I'm going to tell the waiter what I think now.
Implies a complaint is coming.
Teste-toi
Fill in the correct possessive pronoun for 'I'.
Ich muss ___ Meinung sagen.
Since the subject is 'Ich' (I), the possessive pronoun must be 'meine' (my).
Complete the sentence with the correct verb form.
Er hat gestern seine Meinung ___.
The sentence is in the Perfekt tense (past), so you need the past participle 'gesagt'.
🎉 Score : /2
Aides visuelles
Formality of 'seine Meinung sagen'
Talking to friends about a pizza.
Sag mir deine Meinung!
Standard use in most daily interactions.
Ich sage meine Meinung.
Professional or legal contexts.
Die Meinung äußern.
When to use 'seine Meinung sagen'
Work Meeting
Constructive feedback
With Friends
Choosing a movie
Politics
Voting or debating
Customer Service
Making a complaint
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsNot at all! In Germany, it is usually seen as a sign of character and honesty to seine Meinung sagen.
Yes, it is very common in professional settings. Just use a polite lead-in like Darf ich dazu meine Meinung sagen?
Sagen is the everyday word, while äußern is more formal and sounds like 'to express' or 'to voice'.
Yes, you almost always specify whose opinion it is, such as meine, deine, or seine.
You can say Ich möchte dazu lieber nichts sagen or Ich enthalte mich einer Meinung.
You can say Tacheles reden, which means to speak very plainly and get straight to the point.
Yes, you can write Hier ist meine Meinung zum Produkt in a blog or review.
Add the word unverblümt. For example: Er hat ihm unverblümt seine Meinung gesagt.
In the dictionary form, yes, but in practice, it changes to match the subject of the sentence.
Absolutely. You'll often see Sag mir mal deine Meinung when friends are asking for quick advice.
Expressions liées
Farbe bekennen
Tacheles reden
ehrlich sein
Stellung nehmen
seinen Senf dazugeben
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