mantenerlo en secreto
/manteneɾlo en sekɾeto/from spelling rules
To keep it on the down low in Spanish is mantenerlo en secreto.
The phrase is used to express the desire to keep information secret or to avoid letting other people find out about something. You can also use No hacerlo público to say 'Don't make it public' or No difundirlo to say 'Don't spread it'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
While mantenerlo en secreto is commonly used in informal contexts, you can also use the idiomatic expression mantener un bajo perfil to mean keeping a low profile or staying under the radar.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase mantenerlo en secreto, the pronoun lo refers to the specific thing being kept secret. If the thing you are keeping secret is a feminine noun, such as la noticia (the news), you must change the pronoun to mantenerla en secreto.
How do you pronounce it?
/manteneɾlo en sekɾeto/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the phrase un secreto a voces describes a secret that is supposedly 'on the down low' but is actually known by everyone.
- In certain historical architectural contexts, the word secreto does not refer to a hidden fact, but to a specific type of private room or office.
- In Spanish, you can use the verb guardar to say you are 'keeping' a secret. While it literally means 'to guard' or 'to save', it is the standard way to describe the act of holding onto a piece of information.
Examples in context
- Oye, vamos a mantenerlo en secreto, ¿vale?Hey, let's keep this a secret, okay?
- Por favor, dime que vas a mantenerlo en secreto.Please, tell me you are going to keep it a secret.
- Ella prometió mantenerlo en secreto durante la fiesta.She promised to keep it a secret during the party.
- Debemos mantenerlo en secreto para evitar problemas.We must keep it a secret to avoid problems.
Example conversation
Sofía and Alejandro are discussing a surprise party.
- SofíaAlejandro, ¿sabes quién viene a la cena?Alejandro, do you know who is coming to the dinner?
- AlejandroSí, pero tienes que mantenerlo en secreto.Yes, but you have to keep it on the down low.
- SofíaNo te preocupes, no le diré a nadie.Don't worry, I won't tell anyone.
- AlejandroGracias, Sofía, confío en ti.Thanks, Sofía, I trust you.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
