Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Gossip in Spanish: Chisme, Cotilleo, and How to Use Them
Chisme · noun (masculine) · CHEES-meh
Gossip in Spanish is chisme (Latin America) or cotilleo (Spain). Both are masculine nouns referring to informal talk about other people. The person who gossips is a chismoso/chismosa or cotilla.
Chisme: CHEES-meh — two syllables, stress on the first. Cotilleo: koh-tee-YEH-oh — four syllables, stress on the third.
No me cuentes chismes de los vecinos.
Don't tell me gossip about the neighbors.
Gossip in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for gossip, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| chisme | gossip | CHEES-meh | Default, widely understood |
| cotilleo | gossip | Spain — the go-to word for gossip | |
| chismorreo | gossip | extended gossip session | |
| rumor | gossip | when gossip is about unverified information |
How Native Speakers Use Chisme
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Casual conversation
¿Ya te enteraste del último chisme de la oficina?
Did you hear the latest office gossip?
Chisme is used casually and is not considered vulgar — just informal.
Spain variant
En este pueblo hay mucho cotilleo, todo el mundo se conoce.
In this town there is a lot of gossip — everyone knows each other.
Cotilleo is the standard term in Spain. Using chisme in Spain would still be understood but sounds Latin American.
Describing a person
Tu prima es muy chismosa, siempre anda preguntando por los demás.
Your cousin is very gossipy — she is always asking about other people.
Chismoso/chismosa is the adjective form meaning 'gossipy' or 'nosy' about others' affairs.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Chisme
Using chisme in Spain without realizing it sounds foreign
Incorrect: Dime el chisme. (in Spain)
Correct: Dime el cotilleo.
While not wrong, chisme marks you as Latin American to a Spanish listener. In Spain, cotilleo is the natural choice.
Confusing chisme with mentira
Incorrect: Eso es un chisme, no es verdad. (meaning lie)
Correct: Eso es una mentira, no es verdad.
Chisme means gossip — it may or may not be true. Mentira means a deliberate lie. They are not synonyms.
Why Gossip Matters in Spanish-Speaking Cultures
Gossip culture in everyday life
Lock in Gossip Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Chisme used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using chisme in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear No me cuentes chismes de los vecinos. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.
Common Questions About Gossip in Spanish
- Is chisme always negative?
- Not necessarily. In casual settings, sharing chismes can be light-hearted social exchange. It becomes negative when used to spread harmful rumors about someone.
- How do I say 'to gossip' as a verb in Spanish?
- Chismear (Latin America) or cotillear (Spain). Both are regular -ar/-ear verbs: ella chismea, ellos cotillean.
- What do you call a person who gossips?
- Chismoso/chismosa (Latin America) or cotilla (Spain, used for both genders). These can be playful or mildly critical depending on tone.