Hablar en cristiano

to speak plainly; **to speak plainly**; **to put it in plain English**; **to explain it simply**; **to use ordinary language**; **to cut the jargon**

Hablar en cristiano means to speak plainly, to speak in plain English, to put it simply, to explain something in ordinary language, or to avoid technical jargon.

It refers to making one's language easy for everyone to understand.

• uses too much technical vocabulary
• explains something in an overly complicated way
• wants a simpler explanation
• asks someone to speak more clearly
• translates specialist language into everyday language

The expression originated during the Middle Ages in the Iberian Peninsula.

At that time, several languages coexisted, including Latin, Arabic, Hebrew and the emerging Romance languages.

To hablar en cristiano originally meant speaking in the language of the Christian kingdoms rather than in Latin or other languages.

Over time, the religious distinction disappeared, and the expression came to mean simply "to speak so that ordinary people can understand."

Although the idiom is still widely understood and used in Spain, some speakers avoid it because of its historical religious reference.

In most contexts today, however, it is interpreted purely as "speak clearly" rather than as a religious statement.

Spanish has several expressions encouraging clear communication:

• Hablar en cristiano → to speak plainly.
• Hablar claro → to speak clearly.
• Ir al grano → to get to the point.
• Llamar al pan, pan y al vino, vino → to call a spade a spade.

Among them, hablar en cristiano is perhaps the most historically interesting because its original reference to the languages of medieval Spain has gradually evolved into a simple request for plain, understandable language.

Do not translate the expression literally.

English speakers would never say:

Speak in Christian.

Instead, use expressions such as:

• Speak plain English.
• Put it simply.
• Explain it in ordinary language.
• Cut the jargon.

Choose the translation according to the context.