Leerle la cartilla
backTo read someone the booklet.
to give someone a stern talking-to; **to give someone a stern talking-to**; **to tell someone off**; **to give someone a dressing-down**; **to give someone a talking-to**; **to read someone the riot act**; **to lay down the law**
Leerle la cartilla a alguien means to give someone a stern telling-off, to reprimand someone, or to make someone understand clearly what is expected of them.
El jefe le leyó la cartilla por llegar tarde todos los días.
The boss gave him a stern talking-to for being late every day.
Voy a tener que leerte la cartilla si vuelves a hacerlo.
I'm going to have to give you a serious talking-to if you do it again.
Su madre le leyó la cartilla y le dejó muy claro lo que tenía que hacer.
His mother gave him a stern talking-to and made it very clear what he had to do.
El entrenador les leyó la cartilla después del partido.
The coach gave them a dressing-down after the match.
Cuando se enteró de lo ocurrido, le leyó la cartilla de arriba abajo.
When he found out what had happened, he gave him a thorough telling-off.
It usually implies that the speaker lays down the rules or points out someone's mistakes firmly and at length.
A common construction is:
Leerle la cartilla a alguien.
→ To give someone a stern talking-to.
- reprimands another person firmly
- tells someone off
- explains someone's obligations or responsibilities
- warns someone not to repeat certain behaviour
- lays down the rules
- makes someone understand that their behaviour is unacceptable
The word cartilla originally referred to a small booklet used for teaching or containing basic information and instructions.
The expression is traditionally associated with the idea of reading someone a set of rules or instructions that they ought to know and follow.
From this literal image, leer la cartilla came to mean reminding someone firmly of their duties, obligations or proper behaviour.
The metaphor is therefore similar to giving someone a lesson in the rules.
The expression does not necessarily mean simply shouting at someone.
The important element is that the speaker makes the rules or expectations very clear, often after the other person has behaved badly.
For example:
El entrenador les leyó la cartilla.
This suggests that the coach gave the players a serious reprimand and reminded them how they were expected to behave or play.
The tone can range from a firm warning to a severe dressing-down.
Leer la cartilla is related to the older educational meaning of cartilla. A cartilla could be a basic teaching booklet, particularly one used to teach children to read.
The figurative expression therefore turns a lesson into a reprimand: someone is metaphorically being given a basic lesson in how they are supposed to behave.
Do not translate:
Le leyó la cartilla.
as:
He read him the booklet.
Natural translations include:
He gave him a stern talking-to.
He told him off.
He gave him a dressing-down.
He laid down the law.
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