Breakdown of A dire il vero, la calzata è scomoda.
Questions & Answers about A dire il vero, la calzata è scomoda.
A dire il vero is a fixed expression meaning to tell the truth, truth be told, or to be honest.
It is used to introduce a clarification, a more honest opinion, or a small correction to what was said before.
In this sentence, it works like an introductory phrase:
A dire il vero, la calzata è scomoda.
= To tell the truth, the fit is uncomfortable.
It is fairly natural in both spoken and written Italian, though it can sound a little more polished than a very casual phrase.
Italian often uses a + infinitive in set expressions. Here, a dire il vero literally means something like in saying the truth or to say the truth, but the real meaning is idiomatic: to tell the truth.
So:
- a dire il vero = fixed expression
- dicendo il vero = literally saying the truth, which is grammatical but does not sound like the normal idiomatic phrase here
A native speaker would normally use a dire il vero, not dicendo il vero, in this kind of sentence opener.