Meanings
present singular third person calls a spade a spade · participle present calling a spade a spade · participle past called a spade a spade · past called a spade a spade · alternative call a spade a spade and a shovel a shovel · alternative rare call a shovel a shovel · alternative call a spade a spade, not a big spoon · alternative rare call a spoon a “spoon” and a spade a “spade”
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
- Ancient Greekτὰ σῦκα σῦκα, τὴν σκάφην δὲ σκάφην ὀνομάσων“calling figs figs, and a trough a trough”
- Englishcall a spade a spade
A mistaken translation of Ancient Greek τὰ σῦκα σῦκα, τὴν σκάφην δὲ σκάφην ὀνομάσων (tà sûka sûka, tḕn skáphēn dè skáphēn onomásōn, “calling figs figs, and a trough a trough”). The word σκάφη (skáphē, “trough”) was mistranslated by the Renaissance scholar Desiderius Erasmus as σκαφείον (skapheíon, “digging tool”).
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 實話實說 /实话实说, 直言不諱 /直言不讳
- 實話實說 /实话实说 (shíhuàshíshuō)to speak the truth
- 直言不諱 /直言不讳 (zhíyánbùhuì)to speak the truth
Czech nazvat věc pravým jménem, nazývat věci pravými jmény
- nazvat věc pravým jménemto speak the truth
- nazývat věci pravými jményto speak the truth
Danish kalde en spade for en spade
- kalde en spade for en spadeto speak the truth
Dutch zeggen zoals het is, de dingen bij hun naam noemen
- zeggen zoals het isto speak the truth
- de dingen bij hun naam noemento speak the truth
- man en paard noemento speak the truth
- een kat een kat noemento speak the truth
Finnish puhua asioista niiden oikeilla nimillä, kutsua asioita niiden oikeilla nimillä
- puhua asioista niiden oikeilla nimilläto speak the truth
- kutsua asioita niiden oikeilla nimilläto speak the truth
- mainitakseen asian oikealla nimelläänto speak the truth
- olla suorasanainento speak the truth
- olla suorasukainento speak the truth
- olla suorapuheinento speak the truth
- suomeksi sanottunato speak the truth
- totta puhuento speak the truth
French appeler un chat un chat
- appeler un chat un chatto speak the truth
German das Kind beim Namen nennen, die Dinge beim Namen nennen
- das Kind beim Namen nennento speak the truth
- die Dinge beim Namen nennento speak the truth
- kein Blatt vor den Mund nehmento speak the truth
- es auf gut Deutsch sagento speak the truth
Hungarian nevén nevezi a gyereket
- nevén nevezi a gyereketto speak the truth
Irish ná baintear an t-ainm den bhairín, den bhlonag
- ná baintear an t-ainm den bhairín, den bhlonagto speak the truth
Italian dire pane al pane e vino al vino, parla come mangi
- dire pane al pane e vino al vinoto speak the truth
- parla come mangito speak the truth
Norwegian Bokmål kalle en spade for en spade
- kalle en spade for en spadeto speak the truth
Polish nazywać rzeczy po imieniu
- nazywać rzeczy po imieniuto speak the truth
Portuguese pão, pão, queijo, queijo
- pão, pão, queijo, queijoto speak the truth
Scottish Gaelic dìreach ann an cainnt
- dìreach ann an cainntto speak the truth
Slovak nazývať veci pravými menami
- nazývať veci pravými menamito speak the truth
Spanish llamar al pan, pan, y al vino, vino, llamar las cosas por su nombre
- llamar al pan, pan, y al vino, vinoto speak the truth
- llamar las cosas por su nombreto speak the truth
Swedish en spade är en spade
- en spade är en spadeto speak the truth
Vietnamese gọi đích danh
- gọi đích danhto speak the truth
Cite this entry
call a spade a spade. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/call%20a%20spade%20a%20spade
“call a spade a spade.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/call%20a%20spade%20a%20spade. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “call a spade a spade,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/call%20a%20spade%20a%20spade.
Source: call a spade a spade on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.