tell a secret

Meaning

To share private, confidential, or hidden information with another person. It implies a high level of trust, as the recipient is expected not to share the information with anyone else.

Examples

• I can tell you a secret, but you must promise not to tell anyone else.

  I can tell you a secret, but you must promise not to tell anyone else.

• She told me a secret about her new job, and I promised to keep it.

  She told me a secret about her new job, and I promised to keep it.

• It is hard to trust people who easily tell your secrets to others.

  It is hard to trust people who easily tell your secrets to others.

• My little brother told me a secret, but it was just a silly joke.

  My little brother told me a secret, but it was just a silly joke.

• If you tell a secret to a gossip, everyone will know by tomorrow.

  If you tell a secret to a gossip, everyone will know by tomorrow.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ He said me a secret yesterday.

  ✓ He told me a secret yesterday.

  We use the verb 'tell' (not 'say') when we specify the person receiving the information directly (e.g., 'tell me', 'told him').

• ✗ I don't want to speak a secret.

  ✓ I don't want to tell a secret.

  The standard English collocation is 'tell a secret' or 'share a secret'. 'Speak' is not used in this context.

Related Expressions

Practice

• If I ___ to you, will you promise to keep it to yourself?

  💡 Share confidential information.

  Show answer

  tell a secret

• It is always a bad idea to ___ to someone who gossips.

  💡 Reveal private information.

  Show answer

  tell a secret