have a bone to pick (with someone)
have a grievance to discuss with someone
In Spanish
have a grievance to discuss with someone
Examples
- I have a bone to pick with you about yesterday's email.
- She had a bone to pick with her colleague over the missing report.
- After the meeting, he said he had a bone to pick with the manager.
When it's used
This idiom is used informally in everyday situations when someone wants to discuss a complaint or issue with another person. It's more common in spoken conversation than in formal writing. It is used in both professional and personal settings.
The common mistake
A common mistake is translating it literally from Spanish as 'have something to claim'. This does not convey the meaning of having a grievance and is not how English speakers express the idea. Remember that this idiom does not translate word for word.
Related idioms
FROM WHAT YOU READ TO WHAT YOU SAY
Recognising it isn't the same as using it
Reading an idiom and understanding it is step one. Dropping it into a conversation, at the right moment, without stopping to think, is another — and that only comes from speaking.
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