plain text / straight talk
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to talk straight
In a fixed expression: to state one's opinion openly, directly, and unambiguously, without sugarcoating anything.
Lass uns endlich Klartext reden: Die aktuellen Ergebnisse sind eine Katastrophe.
Let's finally talk straight: the current results are a disaster.
'Klartext' (plain text / straight talk) is a compound noun made up of the adjective 'klar' (clear) and the noun 'Text' (text). The meaning is literal in both cases: a clear, meaning understandable and direct, text; or a clear, meaning unencrypted, text.
Ich brauche eine klare Antwort, also sag mir bitte Klartext.
I need a clear answer, so please tell me straight.
In the meaning of 'speaking openly', the word is used almost exclusively in the fixed expression 'Klartext reden' (to talk straight) or, less commonly, 'Klartext sprechen' (to speak plainly).
Nach wochenlangen Andeutungen hat der Chef endlich Klartext geredet.
After weeks of hints, the boss finally talked straight.
You can easily recognize the meaning from the context. Verbs like 'reden' (to talk) or 'sprechen' (to speak) point to the figurative meaning. Technical terms like 'Passwort' (password), 'Daten' (data), 'speichern' (to store), or 'verschlüsselt' (encrypted) point to the cryptographic meaning.
Der Politiker versprach, im Interview Klartext zu reden.
The politician promised to talk straight in the interview.
In IT and cryptography, 'Klartext' (plain text) is often used with the preposition 'in'. For example, people say that data is stored or transmitted 'im Klartext' (in plain text).
Passwörter sollten niemals im Klartext in einer Datenbank gespeichert werden.
Passwords should never be stored in plain text in a database.
hint / trace
'Klartext' and 'Andeutung' are opposites here. 'Klartext' is used mainly in the expression 'Klartext reden' (to talk straight): someone says openly and directly what they mean. An 'Andeutung', by contrast, is only an indirect hint. You do not say something clearly, but leave others to understand it themselves. If a person should stop talking around the topic, you ask for 'Klartext'. If they say something only cautiously or in a hidden way, it is an 'Andeutung'.
Nach vielen Ausreden redete die Chefin endlich Klartext über die Probleme im Team.
After many excuses, the boss finally talked straight about the problems in the team.
Am Montag machte der Kunde nur eine Andeutung, aber er sagte nicht genau, was ihn störte.
On Monday, the customer only made a hint, but he did not say exactly what was bothering him.