kiukweli

How to say it

Meaning

Used to stress that what the speaker says is sincere and true, much like honestly or to tell the truth. It is informal and very common in speech and interviews.

Good to know

An adverb built from ukweli, truth, with ki meaning in the manner of; it never changes. It opens or sits inside a clause: kiukweli sijui, honestly I do not know. Formal writing prefers kwa kweli.

Examples

• Kiukweli, sikutarajia kushinda tuzo hii.Honestly, I did not expect to win this award.
• Chakula cha mama yako ni kitamu kiukweli.Your mother's food is truly delicious.
• Kiukweli hali ya barabara hii ni mbaya.To tell the truth, the state of this road is bad.

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