How to ask someone to quiet down in Spanish?
There are going to be some times where you just need some darn peace and quiet – so how do you ask someone to quiet down in Spanish? There are a few ways, depending on what exactly you are trying to convey, and how you want to come across…
Of course, always remember to say “please” (assuming that being polite is your goal. If it is not, not only can you refrain from saying please, but you can sprinkle in some Spanish cusses as well.)
| Spanish | English | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Cállate | Quiet down (informal) | A common way of telling someone that you know well to be quiet. It is informal, but not necessarily rude, depending on your tone. |
| Cállese | Quiet down (formal) | When you want to politely ask someone to quiet down, such as in a movie theater or play |
| Silencio | Silence | Typically used for a group, such as a classroom |
| Cierra la boca | Shut your mouth | Slightly more intence. Used where you might say "shut up", "shut your trap" or "shut it" in English. |
| Cierra el pico | Shut your lips | Slightly more intence. Used where you might say "shut up", "shut your trap" or "shut it" in English. |
| ¿Por qué no te callas? | Why don’t you just shut up? | When you are really getting exasperated with someone who won't quiet down |
| Guarden silencio | Be quiet | Typically used for a group, such as a classroom |
| Cállate la boca | Shut up! | A more rude and aggressive way of telling someone to shut up in Spanish |
| Chitón | Shush | A casual way of telling someone to "shush!" in Spanish |
| Estate quieto | Be quiet | More common way of telling someone to quiet down in Mexico |
| Quedate quieto | Keep quiet | Has a connotation of "keeping still and quiet". |
| No hagas ruido | Don't make noise | Used when someone is making undue noise |
Remember that you will be conjugation these in the “mandato” or mandate form, because they are a command – be quiet! The command form can be conjugated as tú or usted, depending on who you are addressing. So, be conscientious of this; otherwise, a polite request can turn into a rude and demeaning order. For example, “quiet down” could be translated into Spanish in the following ways:
- Tú: Cállate
- Usted: Cállese
- Ustedes: Cállense
We hope that these 12 ways of asking someone to be quiet in Spanish help you get some silence – and don’t get you into any trouble!
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