NGL stands for not gonna lie, close in meaning to honestly. People use it to admit something a little embarrassing or awkward to say.
Could you drop ngl into a text?
Write a short message — we'll show the mistakes right away and suggest how to say it more naturally.
The check is taking longer than usual. Your feedback will appear here automatically.
ngl, + confession
- ngl, I forgot about the meeting until you texted me.
- ngl, I cried a little during that movie.
- ngl, I've already eaten half the cake you made for the party.
What changed
First versionDear Mr Lee, ngl, I haven't finished the report yet, but I'll send it tonight.
RevisionDear Mr Lee, I haven't finished the report yet, but I'll send it tonight.
NGL is a marker from chatting with a friend, and a message to a boss is written without such tags. The admission about the delay stays, but the slang marker is dropped, so the tone becomes neutral and businesslike.
Unlike tbh, which introduces any frank opinion, ngl usually flags a confession that isn't easy to make: ngl, I'm scared of the interview. In a letter or essay such a marker is simply dropped, and in IELTS Speaking a confession starts with I have to admit or to be honest.
Your turn
The exam is tomorrow and ___, I haven't opened the textbook once.
Show the answer
ngl — The speaker admits not having studied at all, even though the exam is tomorrow — that's an awkward thing to admit, and ngl flags exactly that kind of confession. Btw introduces a passing detail, but here the news is the main point and a fairly embarrassing one.
Confess to a friend in a message about something you forgot to do or didn't finish as promised.
ngl, I totally forgot to book the table for Saturday like I promised. Doing it now!
Learn to use new words without mistakes
Write phrases with the words you are learning. LetsWords shows mistakes in usage and grammar, suggests corrections and explains them, and review helps the words stick.