Learn Spanish (Latin America): La firma no es muy auténtica que digamos. - The signature is not very authentic, to say the least.

It is a formulaic subjunctive phrase used to soften a negative statement or add a touch of irony, translating to 'exactly' or 'to say the least'. We use the subjunctive digamos (from decir) because it establishes a hypothetical limit on what could be said.

Can I use que digamos with affirmative statements too?

Generally, no. This specific phrase almost exclusively follows a negative statement. You use it to make an understatement, like saying a signature no es muy auténtica when you actually think it is a complete forgery.

Is firma a false friend here?

Yes, it can be! While firma can sometimes mean a business 'firm' or company, its most common, everyday meaning is 'signature'. The context of checking if it is auténtica makes 'signature' the obvious translation.

Why isn't there a comma before que digamos, unlike in the English translation?

In Spanish, que digamos is integrated directly into the phrase as an adverbial modifier. Unlike the English tag 'to say the least', which acts as an aside and takes a comma, this Spanish phrase flows naturally at the very end of the sentence without a pause.