Inklingo

Chupar las medias

/choo-PAR las MEH-dee-as/

To suck up to someone, to flatter someone insincerely for personal gain.

Level:B2Register:InformalCommon:★★★★☆

💡 Understanding the Idiom

Literal Translation:
"To suck the socks"
What It Really Means:
To suck up to someone, to flatter someone insincerely for personal gain.
English Equivalents:
To suck up to someoneTo butter someone upTo be a brown-noserTo be a bootlicker

🎨 Literal vs. Figurative

💭 Literal
A literal, humorous depiction of 'chupar las medias', showing a person kneeling and sucking on another person's sock.

Literally, 'chupar las medias' means 'to suck the socks'.

✨ Figurative
The actual meaning of 'chupar las medias', showing an employee giving their boss an over-the-top compliment.

In practice, it means to flatter someone excessively to gain an advantage, like 'sucking up' to them.

Key Words in This Idiom:

chuparmedias

📝 In Action

Deja de chuparle las medias al jefe, es vergonzoso y no te va a dar un aumento.

B2

Stop sucking up to the boss, it's embarrassing and he's not going to give you a raise.

No soporto a la gente que le chupa las medias a los profesores para sacar mejores notas.

B2

I can't stand people who butter up the teachers to get better grades.

Me di cuenta de que me estaba chupando las medias solo para que le prestara dinero.

C1

I realized he was just sucking up to me so I would lend him money.

📜 Origin Story

While the exact origin is debated, the most popular story paints a very clear picture. It likely comes from the historical act of extreme subservience, where a person of low status would kiss the feet of a king, queen, or master as a sign of absolute loyalty and submission. The idiom updates this image to the slightly more modern (and absurd) idea of kissing or 'sucking' their socks or stockings, capturing that same feeling of degrading, over-the-top flattery.

⭐ Usage Tips

Always Negative

This phrase is used to criticize someone's behavior. You would never proudly say 'I'm going to chupar las medias'. It's an accusation of being insincere and manipulative.

Meet the 'Chupamedia'

A person who is always sucking up to others can be called a 'chupamedia' (a sock-sucker). It's a common noun used as a mild insult for a brown-noser.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Not for Genuine Compliments

Mistake: "Using 'chupar las medias' to describe giving someone a sincere compliment."

Correction: This idiom is only for insincere flattery done for personal gain. If you want to say you're giving a genuine compliment, use verbs like 'halagar', 'elogiar', or 'felicitar'.

🌎 Where It's Used

🌍

South America

Extremely common and the primary way to express this idea in countries like Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Peru, and Bolivia.

🇪🇸

Spain

It's understood but not commonly used. The equivalent in Spain is 'hacer la pelota' (literally, 'to make the ball').

🇲🇽

Mexico

While it might be understood, a more common local equivalent is 'ser barbero' (literally, 'to be a barber').

🔗 Related Idioms

↔️ Similar Meanings

hacer la pelota→

The most common equivalent in Spain for 'sucking up'.

ser barbero

A common equivalent in Mexico, literally meaning 'to be a barber'.

⇆ Opposite Meanings

no tener pelos en la lengua→

To be brutally honest or speak one's mind without filtering.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: Chupar las medias

Question 1 of 1

If your friend says, 'Miguel le chupa las medias al profesor,' what does she mean?

🏷️ Tags

ClothingSocial InteractionsCommonly UsedInsults

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'chupar las medias' considered a swear word?

No, it's not a swear word or vulgar. However, it is very informal and is used to criticize or insult someone, so you should only use it in casual situations and be aware that you are accusing someone of being a sycophant.