untada por el silencio
/untada poɾ el silenθjo/from spelling rulesfeminine
The English phrase 'hush money' can be translated into Spanish as untada por el silencio. Wiktionary also lists coima para acallar.
Meaning: bribe to maintain secrecy (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| untada por el silencio | /untada poɾ el silenθjo/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /untada poɾ el silensjo/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
feminine |
| coima para acallar | /koima paɾa akaʝaɾ/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
The term refers to a bribe paid to a person to ensure they maintain secrecy regarding a specific matter.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
If you need to be formal, use the phrase Pago de confidencialidad. In informal or colloquial settings, you may use coima para acallar, as the word coima is an informal way to refer to a bribe in many Spanish-speaking countries.
How do you pronounce it?
/untada poɾ el silenθjo/
Did you know?
- The term untada literally refers to something that has been 'spread', like butter on bread, evoking the image of 'greasing' someone's palm.
- If you use the word coima in a legal context, you are using a word that once meant a formal 'fine' in Portuguese, but has transformed into a colloquialism for illegal payments in Spanish.
- While 'hush money' is a common concept in English, using the word coima to describe it will mark you as someone using slang specific to certain regions like the Southern Cone or parts of Central America.
Examples in context
- Lamentablemente, la única forma de salvar su reputación fue a través de un pago de confidencialidad.Unfortunately, the only way to save his reputation was through a hush money payment.
- Sabía que solo un soborno la haría callar.I knew that only a bribe would make her stay quiet.
Example conversation
Elena and Javier are discussing a corporate scandal.
- ElenaElena, ¿sabes que el jefe ofreció una untada por el silencio?Elena, do you know the boss offered hush money?
- JavierNo puede ser, Javier. ¿A quién se la ofreció?That can't be, Javier. Who did he offer it to?
- ElenaSe la ofreció a la secretaria para que no hablara.He offered it to the secretary so she wouldn't talk.
- JavierEso es ilegal y muy peligroso.That is illegal and very dangerous.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hush money” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries coima, el, para, por, silencio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
