AEE 2670: Spill It! 4 Ways to Share Secrets in English

This is an All Ears English podcast, episode 2670, Spill It, Four Ways to Share Secrets in English. welcome to the all ears english podcast downloaded more than 200 million times are you feeling stuck with your english we'll show you how to become fearless and fluent by focusing on connection not perfection with your american hosts lindsey mcmahon the english adventurer and michelle kaplan the new york radio girl coming to you from Colorado and New York City, USA.

And to get your transcripts delivered by email every week, go to allearsenglish.com forward slash subscribe. Are you someone who divulges secrets or are you good at keeping a secret? Today, get four new ways to talk about sharing information that not everyone knows in English.

Hey, Lindsay, how are you? Feeling great, Michelle. I have a question for you. You ready? Yes. Michelle, when was the last time you shared a piece of big news, a big piece of news?

Anything? Well, I remember when I was sharing that I was moving. Yes, I do remember that. Yeah, I remember telling friends. It was sad, though. I mean, it was good, you know, but I remember telling my friend that we were leaving and

uh you know the new york area and and she cried oh no yeah and uh so i remember sharing that news and that was kind of it was you know people were happy for us of course but it's hard especially when you live in um a more transient place yes uh and people are moving in and out and you know they they kind of they're you know, things aren't necessarily permanent, but you're, and so, you know, some, for some people, but this news is probably coming, but it's still hard. Yeah. I think just yesterday I was in a orange theory class and the teacher had made a sign because one of her co-teachers who just happened to be a student in the class that day was moving to Florida.

And she made a comment about that. And she's like, I don't even bother to make friends here anymore because everyone leaves Colorado or yeah yeah it's really hard i mean that's one thing that i have enjoyed about moving to the suburbs is i do feel generally yeah yeah like okay these could be friends of mine for you know the rest of you know for my kids you know as they were growing up yeah and yes people are going to move i even have one friend i'm currently worried about leaving me.

But, but it's just like, it's, it's more people are putting down their roots. So, um, yeah, right. That makes sense. That makes sense. Yeah. So today we're going to talk about some words you can use to describe this situation.

Um, so when you're telling somebody big questions, Well, I mean, it even doesn't have to necessarily be big news, but we're talking about the verb to tell, right? I told her this. I'm telling you this.

And we're going to share some other verbs that you can use when you are basically that mean to tell. Yes. But Lindsay recently told us – well, not so – Not so recently. Let's see.

How recently? No. Yeah, this episode is coming out in August. Yeah, no, not that recently. A few months ago. Her big news. Yes. My big news about having a baby in the springtime.

I know it's so crazy. That is a life changer, right? That was back in episode 2626. If for some reason you missed it, you're living under a rock or something.

Exactly. Go and check it out. 2626, Are You Sitting Down? Plus Lindsay's Big News. So we're talking today about revealing, sharing. But if you've been listening to the show this summer, you've seen that I am on many episodes each week.

And then we have a great pairing of Aubrey and Michelle together, right? So this is what you can expect for the next couple of weeks moving forward. But nothing is changing with Allers English. We are fully here for you guys.

All right. Exactly. Yeah. So check that out. Check out that episode. So yeah, at this level, we know you guys want more vocabulary and ways to express yourself.

So these are definitely going to help. So also make sure that you hit the follow button so you never miss anything from All Ears English. Yeah. So what is up with the verb to tell, Michelle?

Like what is up with it? What is up with it? It's very neutral sounding. It's very basic. There's nothing wrong with it. You're going to hear it a million times a day.

I told her to come downstairs. I have to tell you something. Yes. But the ones we're going to share today are a little bit more about... Kind of secretive information in some ways.

Yeah. So let's go through them and we're going to talk it out. So, Lindsay, what is the first one? Okay. The first one is reveal, right? Like something was unrevealed before and then it became revealed, right?

So it is secretive information. We have the concept in the U.S. of a gender reveal concept. Did you do that stuff, Michelle? If you look down a few lines, I'm asking you the same question.

Yeah, that's so funny. I did not have like a gender reveal podcast. party um yeah yeah but uh like i mean i remember i you know i didn't i i found out what my children that i found out the genders yeah um yeah but yeah have you ever been to a gender reveal party i've never been to one no none of my friends have had one

It's just, yeah, I just haven't been to one before. I know it's a big concept in our culture right now. Personally, I prefer the surprise. I don't like to put a ton of emphasis on gender.

I just think it doesn't really matter that much. So, you know, so we chose not to do that. We chose to just make it a surprise. And when the baby comes out, we know, you know, that's it.

Yeah. i just am impatient so i just have to know um but i didn't make like uh i i wouldn't have made kind of like a big show about it it's just i can't wait yeah oh that's just fun that's good you want to know something you want some information right yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah so um but a lot of my friends didn't find out um and we're just surprised yeah just surprised everyone has a different take on this right

yeah actually i think i've heard let me double check i think there's um an expression for this is it called team green i don't know what is that um gender reveal i think it's okay yeah parents yeah yeah this is from ai guys team green refers to parents choosing not to learn their baby's gender before birth oh making the delivery room the ultimate reveal i had never heard that until recently Yeah. Team green. Yeah.

Okay. That would be good to know for the last nine months, right? Yeah, exactly. Well, there you go. So, but reveal. So here's, here are some other examples.

So she revealed her new fashion line at the show last night. It was amazing. Yeah. So it's not just for, for baby's gender, right? So he revealed some classified information and now he's in big trouble.

So the information was classified. It's a secret. It was a secret and he's in trouble now. Okay. Exactly. So, so like you said, we might hear something like, um, uh, gender reveal party.

So I'm going to a gender reveal party tomorrow, or you might hear something like the big reveal, right? Yes. Right. Or yeah, that's it. That's it. The big, like someone is going to announce something that we've all been waiting for in a way.

So you might hear, are you ready for the big reveal? Right. Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah, this is kind of the idea. You're telling something, but this is in a very specific way.

And then we have the word share. Lindsay, what do you think about this one? Yeah, I like this one. This share is a little more neutral. It's like tell, but we want to highlight it here in this episode anyways.

It's giving someone information that you want them to join in on knowing about it with you, right? I want to share something with you that I haven't told a lot of people, right? What else? Yeah.

Yeah, I mean, it could be, you know, it could be personal information, but it's less of a secretive word, not necessarily, right? So, for example, I have to share what Gabriel said this morning. It was so adorable. So...

I could have said, I have to tell you, right? Yeah. This one is, I think, more widespread. You know, even if there's a kid in class and he's raising his hand, he really wants to speak, the teacher might say, do you have something to share?

Yes. Yes. You know, and that's not necessarily about a big secret, but it could be, right? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Interesting. Yeah. Like, can you share a story from your childhood with the class, right?

Like you said, yeah, it could be used in the classroom. You also, Lindsay, when you were growing up, did people tell you sharing is caring? Yeah, for sure. And I even say that to my partner now.

My partner has like a piece of pie. Like last night we're on the couch, there was a piece of pie. And I said, you're definitely not going to not share that with me. What kind of pie?

Key lime pie. oh that's my favorite that is my i have my i have a friend he makes an amazing key lime pie and it's like our whole joke is that they're always we always bring each other key lime things and he makes key lime pies on people's birthday that's my favorite it's the best is the best yeah it's like refreshing but also um so rich at the same time so it's perfect yeah Yeah. So, but yeah, sharing is caring a lot of time.

That's, that's funny that you just used it. Yeah. Well, I mean, what is sharing is caring, Lindsay? Why do we say this? Yeah. I mean, this is a phrase that I think you might say more often to kids, but adults steal it and use it for their own purposes.

Right. Yeah. Like, yeah. Like I'm going to share some of your pie. I'm not, that's why it's, it's this idea of sharing is caring. I mean, it's a cute rhyme to show that if you share, you care and you're, you're being nice, but it's, it's interesting with kids.

sharing that concept. Because sometimes I feel with my now, tomorrow, well, she'll be four. Yeah, I feel with my daughter, you know, you see that they're just not ready to share. You know, they're trying... And sometimes I think we try and push sharing on kids too soon.

And from, you know, I'll see different things online about it, you know, that if you push it too soon, that... It shows, oh, well, this person should play with it now. That it doesn't matter your needs. And it might give them kind of the wrong message.

I don't know sometimes if kids are just really that developmentally able to share as soon as we want them to. But when you're with a group and everybody has their kids, you feel this pressure to be like, oh, we all have to share. Oh, that's really interesting. I wonder what our listeners think.

I mean, so many of our listeners are parents. Yeah. And they would definitely have an opinion on this. It could be culturally different depending on family sizes.

I mean, not even an option to not share if you have a huge family. I wish we could do a little poll. Maybe we'll make our poll about this particular question today. Really interesting topic though.

There's a lot there. So sharing is a big thing. There really is. Maybe we'll come back to this sometime. Yeah. Okay. Now disclose is a little more formal.

It's a little more professional. You might hear this in the context of like therapy, disclose something to his therapist or in the context of the legal profession, disclose something to your lawyer.

Right. So for example, don't disclose your social security number to anyone. Right. Please fill out this form. We will not disclose any of this information.

It's just for our office records. Okay. Yeah, so again, I could say, Lindsay, don't tell anyone your social security number. Right. Right? Yeah, you can.

Yeah. I could say that, right? But disclose is a little more professional sounding. Maybe you would see it written. Yes. Lindsay, but here's a question.

Do you feel comfortable disclosing your credit card information or social security number over the phone? Or do you like – That's a hard one. Some people just go for it and then some people – sometimes I'll – with Dan, I'll kind of make funny things to make him guess. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

It's a hard one. I feel like nowadays they usually ask you for your last four of your social probably, which is helpful. Yeah, yeah, true. When it comes to the credit card, I definitely think about it every time I buy something over the phone.

But most of the stuff I buy now is online. Online, yeah. And then I also think every time I go to a restaurant, they're taking my credit card to the back. And even though when I travel, I feel like most countries are further ahead than us now.

They bring the point of sale thing to the table. Yeah. Whereas I feel like in the US, that's like half the time. Yeah. Right. Yeah, you're right. Yeah.

Yeah. So, I don't know. It's hard. It's hard. Yeah. And then the last one for today is to divulge. D-I-V-U-L-G-E. And this one is kind of close to disclose, but...

Um, disclose to me seems a little bit more formal for writing. Um, divulge almost has like, it's like, it almost reminds me of like to indulge, right? Divulge, indulge. You may have told a secret, right?

Yeah. It's like indulgent divulging the secret. It's a big event and it's going to be... It's such a big deal. He divulged the plan of his proposal to his cousin, but then worried he couldn't be trusted.

So it's adding a little drama to the whole scenario, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Or don't divulge any of the details until I get there. I don't want to miss any gossip.

Yeah. A little bit exaggerated, theatrical, as we like to say on the show, right? Okay, Michelle, let's do a role play. So we are friends having lunch.

How nice. Yes, it is great. Okay. So any news? Well, I can reveal some information. Well, what is it? Spill it. Come on. Okay. Susie is buying a villa in Spain.

Oh, wow. I know. I feel bad divulging this secret, but I don't think she'd mind. I won't say anything. You're just sharing some fun news. Don't feel bad.

Okay. Oh, be careful with your credit card there. Everyone can see it. You don't want to disclose your private information, especially these days, Lindsay.

Oh, you're right. Thanks. Yeah. All right. So we're telling secrets here, right? You're not sure if you should. Typical conversation, right? A little gossiping here going on.

I wouldn't say it's bad gossip, but it's, yeah. Yeah. So I said, any news, right? And you said, well, I can reveal some information. And intonation matters there too.

I can reveal some information. Yeah. It means there's probably more. More. Yes. If I just said I can reveal some information, right, and I didn't put the stress on some, then maybe that's it.

Yes. Yes. So we have to read the undertones of the intonation here. right and you said spill it this is a fun bonus for today we didn't teach you this but it's just a way of saying come on tell me right spill it yeah spill the beans yep yep spill the beans right yeah um and then i i said suzy is buying a villa in spain and you said wow and i said ah i feel bad divulging the secret but i don't think she'd mind i it doesn't sound like i feel too bad

Yeah. And then I said, oh, don't worry. You're just sharing some fun news, right? And I'm making it okay. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then I noticed that your credit card is out and I said, be careful with your credit card there.

And then I said, you don't want to disclose your private information, especially these days. Yes. Okay, great. So we used a lot of them today. But there's always this, I mean, people want to know, you know, people are curious about other people's lives sometimes, right?

So if it's appropriate and you feel okay sharing, these are some good vocabulary words to share, you know? I mean, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, these are all kind of fun.

They all serve a purpose. And remember, if you want to listen, if you haven't yet and you were living under that rock, as Lindsay said, listen to episode 2626, Are You Sitting Down?, plus Lindsay's Big News. Yes, catch up on the news of the summer, the spring, really exciting stuff. And I am really happy to be able to hear you and Aubrey together on the microphone.

How fun. Yes. Yes. So fun. We have fun. And then I'll be looking forward to recording with you again. Absolutely. Absolutely, Michelle. All right. We'll see you soon.

Have a good day. All right. Bye, Lindsay. Bye, guys. Bye. Thanks for listening to All Ears English. Would you like to know your English level? Take our two minute quiz.

Go to allearsenglish.com forward slash fluency score. And if you believe in connection, not perfection, then hit subscribe now to make sure you don't miss anything. See you next time.