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/Sounds like "SAH" (as in "salsa") + "poh" (as in "port")/

Meaning

A snitch, tattletale, or gossip who cannot keep a secret and rushes to tell everyone what they know. In Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, and Ecuador, calling someone a "sapo" is a serious social insult: it means they spy on others and report back to whoever will listen. Nobody wants this label.

Examples

Don't tell that guy anything, he is a total snitch.

The class tattletale already went and told the teacher everything.

Regional synonyms

/Sounds like "SAH" (as in "salsa") + "poh" (as in "port")/

Meaning

A gossipy snitch who rats people out to authority without anyone asking them to. The sapo is the one who always runs to tell the boss what you did, earning everyone's contempt.

Examples

Don't be a sapo and don't tell the teacher.

The class sapo reported us to the principal.

/Sounds like "SAH" (as in "salsa") + "poh" (as in "port")/

Meaning

A snitch, gossip, or person who carries information about others to wherever it will cause the most trouble. In Colombia and Peru, a sapo is the person you can never trust with any secret.

Examples

Don't tell him, he's a snitch and he'll spread it around.

That gossip went next door to tell the neighbor everything.

Regional synonyms

/Sounds like "SAH" (as in "salsa") + "poh" (as in "port")/

Meaning

In Peru, a sharp and savvy person who is always alert to opportunities and quick to take advantage. Being sapo here means being street-smart in business or deals - you don't let anything slip by.

Examples

He's very sapo when it comes to business - he never misses a thing.

Be sapo or they'll take advantage of you.

Regional synonyms

/Sounds like "SAH" (as in "salsa") + "poh" (as in "port")/

Meaning

A nosy, snooping person in Argentina who wants to know everything about other people's lives without anyone asking. The sapo listens in on conversations, peeks at phones, and is always asking things that are none of their business.

Examples

Don't be a sapo and stop eavesdropping on our conversation.

He's super nosy, always keeping tabs on what everyone else is doing.

Word family
Regional synonyms

Showing 5 definitions, sorted by votes

To be exposed or embarrassed in front of others, usually because of a clumsy move or getting caught doing something you should not have been doing. From "chamuscar" (to singe): the image is someone who got a little too close to the fire and got burned.