How do you say “Come clean” in Spanish?
The closest natural Spanish equivalent is confesarlo todo, which literally means “to confess everything”. English speakers use come clean to mean to admit the truth about something you have hidden. A direct Spanish equivalent for revealing the whole truth. It does not require a religious or criminal setting. Register: neutral. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural Spanish
confesarlo todo
/konfeˈsaɾlo ˈtoðo/
- Literal meaning
- “to confess everything”
- Register
- neutral
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
93 out of 100
What a native Spanish speaker would actually say
Use “confesarlo todo” when someone finally admits what they have been hiding. A small family secret can be enough.
If you name the act directly, use “confesar que”: “Confesó que había leído mis mensajes.” You do not need “todo” in every sentence.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone4 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity1 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
In context
English
I came clean and admitted that I had broken the vase.
Spanish
Lo confesé todo y admití que había roto el jarrón.
English
She finally came clean about reading my private messages.
Spanish
Por fin confesó que había leído mis mensajes privados.
Related expressions
- What “Come clean” means in English
- Spill the beans, To give away a secret.
Last updated 2026-10-01