How to gossip in Spanish: What’s the latest “chisme”? (full of audio)
Y que me dice (And then he says)
Ya me enteré de que le fuiste con el chisme a mi esposa. (I already found out that you went to tell the gossip to my wife.)
Y yo así de (And I was like)
Déjame en paz, Donald. (Leave me alone, Donald)
We, Mexicans, love to gossip in Spanish. I’m Paulísima from Spring Spanish, and in this video, you’ll learn all the chunks you need to turn a regular storytelling session into a deliciosa sesión de chismecito (delicious gossip session).
1. What is chisme? – A little gossip dictionary in Spanish
There are layers to what chisme entails. It loosely translates to as gossip in Spanish. Aunque puede ser así (Although it can be like that), chisme is not always about spreading facts or hearsay about a third person.
Chisme también se trata de compartir con alguien de nuestra confianza algo que nos pasó o que nos va a pasar. (“Chisme” is also about sharing with someone we trust something that happened or that will happen to us.)
The act of telling and listening to “chisme” is called “chismear”. Y es un verbo re-mexicano. (And it’s a very Mexican verb.) También utilizamos la palabra “chismear” para decir simplemente: platicar o conversar . (We also use the word “chismear” to simply mean: talk or converse.)
Amiga, hace mucho tiempo que no platicamos. (Girlfriend, it’s been a while since we don’t talk.)
Sí, amiga, tengo muchas ganas de chismear contigo. (Yes, girlfriend, I really want to gossip with you.)
¡Ay, ya sé! Yo también tengo ganas de chismear. (Oh, I know! I also really want to gossip.)
2. How to gossip in Spanish: Anunciando el chisme (Announcing the chisme)
Primero, tienes que anunciar que tienes un chisme. ¿Por qué? Pues, porque un chisme no es una historia común. (First, you have to announce that you have a “chisme”. Why? Well, because a “chisme” is not any regular story.) It’s one that requires undivided attention.
Así que, es importante que le digas a la otra persona para que esté preparada. (So, it’s important that you tell the other person, so they’re prepared.) Maybe they won’t have time to engage in the chisme.
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- Amiga, te tengo un chisme. (Girlfriend, I have a gossip.)
“Amiga te tengo un chisme”, es una frase muy femenina para anunciar que ahí viene un delicioso chismecito. (“Girlfriend, I have gossip”, is a very feminine way to announce that here comes a delicious little piece of gossip in Spanish.) This is the one I use with my friends.
Like this:
- ¿Amiga, qué onda? ¿Cómo estás? Te tengo un chisme. (Girlfriend, what’s up? How are you? I have a chisme.)
- ¿Qué crees? (Guess what?)
“¿Qué crees?”, es mucho más neutral que la anterior. (“Guess what?”, is much more neutral than the previous one.)
No me lo vas creer. (You’re not going to believe it.) “No me lo vas a creer” is as common as “¿Qué crees?”
Let’s tell our friend we’re ready for that bit of chisme.
3. Example of how gossip works: Aceptando escuchar y diciendo el chisme (Accepting to listen and telling the chisme)
(Pau escucha el mensaje “amiga te tengo un chisme”)
Cuéntamelo todo. (Tell me all about it.)
You can also say:
Cuéntame. (Tell me.) or ¿Qué pasó? (What happened?)
Notice the underlined phrases, as they are chunks that you should totally use when telling gossip in Spanish.
Te acuerdas de mi manager Donald? ¡Pues resulta que lo corrieron! (Do you remember my manager Donald? Turns out he was fired!)
¡No me digas! (You don’t say!)
Pues resulta qué… (Turns out that…) is a perfect chunk to introduce a fact.
Sí, amiga, es que fuimos varias las que nos quejamos en recursos humanos de sus comentarios inapropiados.
(Yes, girlfriend, it’s just that it was many of us who complained to Human Resources about his inappropriate comments.)
¡Ay, amiga, qué bueno! Finalmente se hizo justicia.
(Oh, girlfriend, that’s good! Finally, justice was served!)
Pero espérate… resulta que…
(But wait… it turns out that…)
Now we have a combo… When the fact was incomplete and there’s more juicy gossip coming.
Pero espérate… resulta que…
(But wait… it turns out that…)
Have you subscribed to the channel? Right now is a great time to do it. ¡Ándale! ¡Hazlo ahora para seguir chismeando! (Come on! Do it now to continue gossiping!)
Pero espérate… ¡resulta que además, la esposa se enteró de todo el chisme y lo dejó!
(But wait… it turns out his wife found out about the whole chisme and left him!)
¡No manches!
(No way!)
Y espérate… ¡que el Donald cree que la esposa se enteró por mí!|
And wait… turns out that Donald believes his wife found out because of me!)
¿¡”N’ombre”, cómo crees!?
(No way!?)
Attention: “N’ombre” and “no manches” are amazing alternatives to “wow!” For more, check out this video.
¡Sí, güey! Que me espera afuera de la tienda.
(Yes, dude! And he waited for me outside the shop.)
Now, really pay attention to the chunks, because they’re so vital to tell a story, and they’re used to quote dialogues, so you don’t have to use a past tense.
Y que me dice
(And then he says)
Ya me enteré de que le fuiste con el chisme a mi esposa.
(I already found out that you went to tell the chisme to my wife.)
Y yo así de
(And I was like)
“Y yo asi de” is a great chunk to introduce a reaction. It’s a filler word, for more filler words, check out this video.
Déjame en paz, Donald.
(Leave me alone, Donald.)
Now a great question for chismear:
You can listen to the whole conversation here:
¿Tú qué le dijiste?
(And what did you say to him?)
Y que me dice
(And then he tells me)
No le vuelvas a dirigir la palabra a mi esposa.
(Do not speak a word to my wife again.)
Y que le digo
(And then I say to him)
Más bien, tú no vuelvas a dirigirme la palabra a mí. En serio, ¿eh? Te voy a denunciar con la policía si me sigues molestando.
(Actually, you don’t speak a word to me. Really. I’ll report you to police on you if you keep harassing me.)
Y que agarro y que me voy, amiga.
(And then I left, girlfriend.)
¡Wow, amiga! ¡No lo puedo creer!
(Wow, girlfriend! I can’t believe it!)
¡Sí, amiga, así las cosas!
(Yes, girlfriend, things are that way!)
Y que agarro y que… This is such a jewel of a chunk, it is sooo Mexican. You use it to connect actions, to introduce a new action you took. Also pay attention to the way I ended the chisme así las cosas (things are this way). Another great way of closing the chisme:
On screen… “After critizing every member of my family for 3 hours…”
¿Pero bueno, quién es uno para juzgar?
(But well, who is one to judge?)
4. Say gossip in Spanish: Chismea conmigo (Gossip with me)
Let’s practice.
¿Qué crees?
(Guess what?)
React a simple “¿qué?” (what?) would do, but now, please accept the chisme.
¡Cuéntamelo todo!
(Tell me everything!)
Pues, resulta que hice otro video donde hablo de todo lo raro que hacemos los mexicanos.
(Well, turns out I made another video where I talk about all the weird things we Mexicans do.)
Now react again:
If you said anything like: N’ombre or ¡No manches! You’re right!
Now, to continue with the whole chisme about those weird things we Mexicans think are totally normal but aren’t… click on the image to find out the whole chisme.
