¿Tienes chicle?
To ask "do you have gum" in Spanish, you say ¿Tienes chicle?
The phrase is used to ask if someone has a piece of chewing gum available to share or give to you.
Which one should you use?
While ¿Tienes chicle? asks about gum in general, you can use ¿Tienes un chicle? if you are asking for a specific piece of gum.
How does it change in a sentence?
Use ¿Tienen chicle? when asking a group of people if they have gum.
Did you know?
- In some Latin American countries, describing a person as chicle suggests they are clingy or won't leave you alone.
- The word chicle is not a European invention but a loanword from the Nahuatl word tzictli, referring to the sap of the chicle tree used by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica.
- If you ask for goma in Spain or Mexico expecting gum, you might be handed a pencil eraser instead.
Examples in context
- ¿Tienes chicle?Do you have gum?
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are walking to class.
- LucíaAlejandro, ¿tienes chicle?Alejandro, do you have gum?
- AlejandroSí, tengo un paquete aquí.Yes, I have a pack here.
- Lucía¿Me das un trozo, por favor?Can you give me a piece, please?
- AlejandroClaro, toma uno.Sure, take one.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chicle, CC BY-SA 4.0.
