charlatán
/t͡ʃaɾlaˈtan/
The English word 'gabby' is translated into Spanish as charlatán.
This adjective describes someone who is inclined to talk too much, particularly about trivial or unimportant matters.
Meaning: inclined to talk too much, especially about trivia (adj)
Which one should you use?
While this word can mean 'gabby', in many Spanish-speaking contexts, it is more commonly used to refer to a 'charlatan' or a 'quack', someone who pretends to have expertise or sells fake medicines.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective charlatán changes its ending to agree with the subject: use charlatana for a feminine subject and charlatanes for masculine plural subjects (gabby people).
How do you pronounce it?
/tʃaɾlaˈtan/
Did you know?
- Historically, a charlatán was specifically a street performer who would talk loudly to attract crowds to buy fake medicines.
- While charlatán focuses on the quality of the speech, Spanish speakers often use the verb charlar to mean 'to chat' in a friendly, harmless way.
- The suffix '-án' in charlatán can sometimes give a word a sense of being an outsider or an exaggerated character in certain Spanish dialects.
Examples in context
- No seas un charlatán y deja de hablar de tonterías.Don't be a chatterbox and stop talking about nonsense.
- Ese hombre es un charlatán que no para de hablar.That man is a chatterbox who doesn't stop talking.
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are talking about a new coworker.
- JavierSofía, ¿qué piensas del nuevo compañero?Sofía, what do you think of the new coworker?
- SofíaEs amable, pero un poco charlatán.He is kind, but a bit gabby.
- JavierEs verdad, no deja de hablar.That's true, he doesn't stop talking.
- SofíaSí, habla mucho sobre cosas sin importancia.Yes, he talks a lot about unimportant things.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry charlatán, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
