- Used to express strong agreement and empathy, often ironically, with someone's negative statement or complaint.
- It signifies I understand completely because I've had the same experience or feeling, not a literal request for more information.
Explanation
Origin
- Likely emerged in American English in the mid-20th century.
- It's an idiomatic phrase where the speaker indicates they already know and share the sentiment, so the listener doesn't *need* to elaborate further (though they might).
- The irony or emphasis comes from inviting someone to tell you something you already implicitly understand very well.
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal:
- I feel you. / I feel ya. (Expresses empathy)
- Word. (AAVE origin, general agreement)
- Preach. (Often online, agreeing strongly with a stated truth/opinion. Originates from religious contexts, emphasizing the truth of the statement like a sermon.)
- Same. / Hard same. (Very common online/among younger generations)
- Big mood. (Internet slang, relating strongly to a feeling/situation)
- You ain't wrong. (Double negative for emphasis, informal agreement)
Vulgar/Emphatic:
- No shit. / No fucking shit. (Very informal, implies the statement is obviously true)
- Fuckin' A, tell me about it. (Adds vulgar emphasis)
- Damn right.
Milder/Standard:
- I know what you mean.
- I understand completely.
- That sounds familiar.
- I agree.
Situational Appropriateness
- Informal to semi-formal.
- Appropriate among friends, colleagues, and in most everyday conversations.
- Avoid in highly formal settings where expressing overt shared frustration might be unprofessional.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- Non-native speakers might interpret it literally and start providing excessive details, missing the point that it's an expression of shared understanding and agreement, not a request for information.
Examples
- Person A: Ugh, the traffic was terrible this morning! Person B: Tell me about it. It took me an hour to get here.
- Person A: This project deadline is really stressing me out. Person B: (Sighs) Tell me about it.
Dialogue
Layla: I can't believe how much my rent went up this year.
Sam: Ugh, tell me about it. Mine went up 15%!
Layla: Seriously? That's insane!
Sam: Yeah, it's getting impossible to afford living here.
Social Media Examples
- Tweet: Trying to assemble IKEA furniture is the ultimate test of patience. Reply: Tell me about it... just spent 3 hours on a simple bookshelf. Send help (and wine). #IKEA #DIYfail
- Comment on a post about long work hours: Tell me about it. Haven't seen daylight all week. 😩
Response Patterns
- The original speaker usually nods, sighs in shared frustration, or maybe offers a brief related comment (Right?!).
- Sometimes the person saying Tell me about it follows up with their own related anecdote.
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
After hearing Tell me about it:
- The original speaker might elaborate slightly (It was bumper-to-bumper the whole way!) or just acknowledge the shared feeling (Yeah, it's brutal.).
- The conversation might shift to the listener sharing their experience (You think that's bad? Last week...).
Conversation Starter
- No.
- It's always a response to someone else's statement, usually a complaint or negative observation.
Intonation
- Often delivered with a sigh, a slightly exasperated, or knowing tone.
- Stress typically falls heavily on Tell, sometimes also on about. TELL me about it. or TELL me about it.
- Falling intonation at the end.
Generation Differences
- Common across most adult generations (Millennials, Gen X, Boomers).
- Gen Z might use alternatives like I feel you, Same, or Big mood more often online, but Tell me about it is still widely understood and used.
Regional Variations
- Very common in American English.
- Widely understood in other English-speaking regions, though perhaps used slightly less frequently than in the US.