1271 Tell me about it - English Idioms

Explanation

An idiomatic expression used to show strong agreement with something negative or frustrating that someone has just said.
Crucially, it does **not** mean Please give me more details. Instead, it means You don't need to explain it to me because I understand completely and feel the same way, often due to shared experience. It conveys shared exasperation or commiseration.

Origin

Likely evolved ironically from the literal request for information (Tell me about it) into a fixed idiom expressing emphatic agreement, particularly about hardships or annoyances. Became widespread in the latter half of the 20th century.

Alternatives

Slang/Informal:

I feel you. / I feel that. (Shared feeling)
You ain't gotta tell me. (Similar meaning: I already know)
Word. / Big mood. (Strong resonance/agreement)
Preach. (Strong agreement with an opinion/complaint)

More Formal (loses the idiomatic exasperation):

I completely agree with your frustration.
I've certainly had similar negative experiences.
That sounds incredibly frustrating, and I can relate.

Vulgar/Emphatic:

Fuckin' tell me about it.
No shit. (Strong agreement/obviousness)
You ain't fuckin' kidding.

Situational Appropriateness

Primarily informal. Very common in casual conversations between friends, family, or colleagues sharing everyday frustrations.
Can sound unprofessional or overly familiar/negative in formal business settings.

Misunderstanding Warnings

**CRITICAL WARNING:** This is one of the most commonly misunderstood idioms by non-native speakers. They often take it literally as an invitation to provide more details about their problem. It means the exact opposite: Stop telling me the details, I already understand and agree completely because I share the feeling/experience. Emphasize the *rhetorical* nature.

Examples

Dealing with customer service was a nightmare! Ugh, tell me about it!
This traffic is unbearable. Tell me about it. Took me an hour to get here.
I'm so tired of all this rain. Tell me about it! (Said with an eye roll)

Dialogue

Maya: Trying to assemble this IKEA furniture is giving me a headache. The instructions make no sense!

Ben: Tell me about it! I spent three hours putting together that bookshelf last weekend.

Maya: Seriously! Why can't they just use words instead of confusing pictures?

Response Patterns

A nod of shared frustration.
A shared sigh or groan.
Right? / I know!
The original speaker might add another brief comment reinforcing the shared complaint.

Common Follow-up Questions/Actions

After hearing Tell me about it:

The listener might briefly share their own similar negative experience: Mine was even worse, they put me on hold for 45 minutes!.
The conversation often stays briefly on the shared complaint before moving on.

Action:

Creates solidarity through shared negative experience or frustration.

Conversation Starter

No. It's a strong agreement response, almost always to a complaint or frustration.

Intonation

Often delivered with an exasperated, weary, or knowing tone.
Stress frequently falls on Tell or me. TELL me about it. or Tell ME about it.
Often accompanied by non-verbal cues like sighing, head shaking, or eye rolling.

Generation Differences

Widely used and understood, particularly common from Gen X onwards, but familiar to most native speakers.

Regional Variations

Very common in American English. Also frequently used in British, Australian, and other Englishes.

I know what you mean

🎲 Been there, done that

[1271] Tell me about it