019 - 把话说在前面 - learn spoken Chinese

把话说在前面 indicates some fact exists or it is possible to have some unsatisfactory results, emphasizing that it is not the speaker's fault if this case does happen.

this pattern is used in the first person and carries the tone of warning.

examples:

- 我把话说在前面，任何手术都是有一定风险的。你们要做好思想准备。

- 我帮你找了个工作。不过咱把话说在前面，这个工作很辛苦。