How do you say “Wear your heart on your sleeve” in German?
The closest natural German equivalent is seine Gefühle offen zeigen, which literally means “to show one's feelings openly”. English speakers use wear your heart on your sleeve to mean to let other people see your feelings openly. A precise, plain description of emotional openness. It covers visible reactions as well as what someone says. Register: neutral. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural German
seine Gefühle offen zeigen
/ˈzaɪnə ɡəˈfyːlə ˈɔfn̩ ˈtsaɪɡn̩/
- Literal meaning
- “to show one's feelings openly”
- Register
- neutral
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
93 out of 100
What a native German speaker would actually say
“Das Herz auf der Zunge tragen” is an idiomatic alternative, but it focuses on speaking openly. A face can reveal feelings without any words.
Use this broader description when the English includes tears, smiles or other visible reactions. It keeps emotional openness separate from being generous.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone4 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity1 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
What are other ways to say it in German?
das Herz auf der Zunge tragen
Literally: “to carry the heart on the tongue”
For speaking freely about your feelings; less precise when the feelings are visible but unspoken.
In context
English
I wear my heart on my sleeve, so everyone knew I was disappointed.
German
Ich zeige meine Gefühle offen, deshalb wussten alle, dass ich enttäuscht war.
English
She wears her heart on her sleeve and tells us when she feels lonely.
German
Sie zeigt ihre Gefühle offen und sagt uns, wenn sie sich einsam fühlt.
Related expressions
Last updated 2026-10-01