contar el chisme
/kontaɾ el t͡ʃisme/from spelling rules
To spill the tea in Spanish is to contar el chisme.
This phrase is used when you are sharing juicy or secret information about the private lives of others. The word chisme is the standard noun for the gossip or rumors being shared.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb contar, which means to tell or to count and the noun el chisme, meaning the gossip.
Which one should you use?
While contar el chisme describes the act of telling a specific piece of gossip, you can also use the single verb chismear to express the general act of gossiping. If you want to refer to multiple pieces of gossip, you should use the plural form contar los chismes.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
A common colloquial alternative to contar el chisme is soltar la sopa, which is similar to the English idiom 'spill the beans'.
How does it change in a sentence?
To refer to multiple pieces of gossip, you change the noun to its plural form: contar los chismes.
How do you pronounce it?
/kontaɾ el tʃisme/
Did you know?
- The word chisme may be derived from the Latin word cīmicem, which means 'bedbug'. This suggests that gossip was historically viewed as something small and irritating that crawls or spreads.
Examples in context
- Echa el chisme, ¿qué sucedió ayer en la fiesta?Spill the tea, what happened at the party yesterday?
- Ella siempre quiere contar el chisme de los demás.She always wants to spill the tea about others.
Example conversation
Two friends are meeting for coffee.
- MaríaHola Daniel, ¿tienes algo nuevo que contar?Hi Daniel, do you have anything new to tell me?
- DanielSí, pero no puedo contar el chisme aquí.Yes, but I can't spill the tea here.
- MaríaNo te preocupes, nadie nos está escuchando.Don't worry, nobody is listening to us.
- DanielEstá bien, entonces te cuento el chisme ahora.Alright, then I'll spill the tea now.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chisme, contar, el, CC BY-SA 4.0.
