adjective
honest, truthful, frank
B1
'ehrlich' is an adjective meaning 'honest', 'truthful', or 'frank'. It's gradable: comparative 'ehrlicher' and superlative 'am ehrlichsten'. Common antonyms: 'unehrlich', 'verlogen'. Used attributively and predicatively (ein ehrlicher Mensch; er ist ehrlich). No special preposition or auxiliary; regular adjective forms. Often appears in phrase 'ehrlich gesagt'.
Examples
Er ist immer sehr ehrlich in seinen Antworten.
He is always very truthful in his answers.
Sei ehrlich mit mir.
Be honest with me.
Um ehrlich zu sein, hat sie recht.
To be frank, she's right.
Details
Mnemonics
Imagine someone with an open face and clear eyes giving a sincere smile
sounds like 'air-lich' — picture fresh air and openness
Notes
Common adjective used in everyday speech. Frequent collocations: 'ehrlich gesagt' (honestly/frankly), 'um ehrlich zu sein' (to be honest).