expressions - Does one say "to ring stupid" or what are appropriate alternatives?

If you want to express that something is true even if it is actually dumb, in German we can say something along

So blöd es auch klingt, aber es ist wahr.

Literally it's As stupid it also rings, but it is true.

I guess that to ring stupid isn't a proper term in English, especially not as shown in the literally translation, but I'm looking for a term that is quite similar to the German one.

The phrase So blöd es auch klingt is used when you tell:

• really strange and unbelievable happenings,


• unusual feelings, occasions, etc. in which you e.g. do or want have the opposite of what is considered as being normal, or


• actions that are self-evident and actually not need to be said

Consider the following examples in which I replaced the German saying by I know it sounds weird (which actually is in German Ich weiß, dass es sich ungewöhnlich anhört), although it sounds indeed weird in the last sentence.

I know it sounds weird but I've really seen a ghost that night.

I know it sounds weird but I'm scared of being happy.

I know it sounds weird but you should always warm-up before sports.

I am looking for one ore more phrases having the same connotation[*] and using a sentence structure that is as close as possible to the German one.

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[*]Regarding connotations:

Although in all three sentences the connotations are a bit differently from each others, I guess that the appropriate connotations are obviously. If I'm wrong please comment and I will add an explanation what is denoted by the phrasing.

Answer

I think the equivalent English phrase is:

As stupid as it sounds

e.g.

As stupid as it sounds, I actually put my trousers on backwards this
morning.

Incidentally, you do not have to use the word "stupid". Almost any other adjective would do. Other common variations include:

• As strange as it sounds


• As wierd as it sounds



• As odd as it sounds