Decir las cosas por su nombre

to call things by their proper name; **to call things by their proper name**; **to call a spade a spade**; **to tell it like it is**; **to speak plainly**

Decir las cosas por su nombre means to describe situations honestly and accurately, without disguising reality through vague, indirect or overly polite language.

The idiom often appears when people believe that others are avoiding the truth by using euphemisms or ambiguous expressions.

For example, someone may argue that a company should admit that it is firing employees, rather than speaking vaguely about workforce restructuring. Likewise, a politician may be criticised for refusing to decir las cosas por su nombre when discussing a public scandal.

The expression therefore values clarity, honesty and precision.

Unlike no tener pelos en la lengua, which focuses on speaking boldly, decir las cosas por su nombre emphasises choosing accurate words instead of softened or misleading ones.

The two idioms are closely related but not identical.

• avoids euphemisms
• describes reality honestly
• refuses to disguise unpleasant facts
• asks for greater clarity
• criticises vague or misleading language

The expression developed naturally from the basic function of language itself.

Naming objects correctly has always been associated with knowledge, precision and honesty.

Throughout history, philosophers, lawyers and writers have recognised that the words people choose influence how reality is perceived.

This simple observation gave rise to an idiom encouraging speakers to avoid ambiguity and refer to things exactly as they are.

Its transparency explains why the expression has remained almost unchanged for centuries.

Spanish public debate often includes criticism of excessively bureaucratic or political language.

Journalists frequently accuse politicians of failing to decir las cosas por su nombre, especially when they replace unpleasant realities with technical or optimistic vocabulary.

The expression therefore reflects a broader cultural preference for plain speaking over unnecessary verbal decoration.

That does not mean Spaniards dislike politeness.

Rather, the idiom argues that clarity should not be sacrificed simply to make reality sound more comfortable.

Many cultures have developed idioms encouraging honest speech, but they do not all emphasise the same aspect.

English often focuses on speaking bluntly (to call a spade a spade).

Spanish places slightly greater emphasis on using the correct name for reality.

That small difference reflects an important cultural nuance: precision and honesty are seen as inseparable.

Be careful when choosing the English equivalent.

To call a spade a spade is an excellent translation in most situations, but it usually sounds slightly stronger than the Spanish expression.

If the emphasis is simply on using accurate terminology, to call things by their proper name may better preserve the neutral tone of the original.

Also remember that decir las cosas por su nombre focuses on the words themselves, whereas no tener pelos en la lengua focuses more on the speaker's courage to express their opinions.

The distinction is subtle but useful.