Sometimes, all you need to do is tell someone to stop talking! Learning how to say shut up in Spanish will come in helpful if you’re just starting to learn the language.
However, shut up can also be used in the discussion in a humorous, friendly manner. It can also be used in an angry and confrontational manner. Your precise expression will vary based on the meaning you wish to communicate.
In this post, we’ll go over six of the most famous Spanish phrases for telling someone to shut up so that you can stun your audience with your immaculate command of the language the next time you need to use one.
Say Shut Up In Spanish
|
Shut up |
|
|
Shut your mouth |
|
|
Close your mouth |
|
|
 Silencio
|
Silence |
|
Be quiet, stay quiet |
|
|
 Chitón
|
Shut up |
Cállate
Spanish speakers are most likely to respond with cállate when asked how to say “shut up” in Spanish since it is the most widely used or accepted form. Cállate, though, isn’t that simple.
The word “callate” means “to order” or “to command.” Te in the word “cállate” stands for “you,” singular. Therefore, this command should only be used when communicating to a single person.
Just slightly alter this word if you wish to tell a bunch of people to shut up in Spanish. You would pronounce callaos if you were in Spain, but you would say cállense if you were in Latin America.
It should be noted that unlike the English phrase “shut up,” which is nearly always considered harsh or combative, the Spanish phrase “cállate” can be used in a rude manner. The context and tone both matter.
Cállate la boca
Cállate la boca, which translates directly to “close your mouth,” is another way to say “shut up” in Spanish. Similar to cállate, the final portion of the verb must be conjugated according on who and how many people you are speaking to.
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
| You (singular informal) | cállate la boca |
| You (singular formal) | cállese la boca |
| You (plural) | callaos la boca, or cállense la boca. |
With someone you don’t know well or with someone in a position of power, like your professor, for instance, you wouldn’t use this very casual and informal expression.
It isn’t always employed in an insulting or unpleasant manner, though. It’s typically used in a lighthearted manner, typically among friends and family. However, you can also use this expression to convey disbelief depending on the situation and the tone you’re using. For instance, we may say, Cállate la boca.
Spanish
¿En serio tienes 60 años? No te creo, ¡cállate la boca!
English
You are really 60? I can’t believe it, shut your mouth!
Cierra la boca
Another way to say “shut up” is “cierra la boca.” You’ll hear this form quite a bit because it is also fairly informal. Literally, it means “shut your mouth” or “seal your mouth.” You wouldn’t use this expression around seniors or other persons in positions of authority since it is confrontational.
Close the mouth is an imperative command or instruction, just like cállate. In addition to cierra la boca, we can also say cierra el pico, which literally translates to “shut your beak.”
Silencio
Its is a more formal and respectful way to say “shut up” in Spanish. which can be used by itself as a word to request quietness, literally means “silent.”
Fortunately, because silencio is a noun, you can always pronounce it without changing the way you say it or the person you are speaking to.
Due to its politeness, it is frequently used in classrooms and other types of meetings. However, it can also be employed in other formal settings. Silencio, por favour, for instance, is the phrase the umpire uses to request silence during tennis matches.
In contrast to the other expressions, silencio is typically followed with por favour, making it a request rather than a command.
In some nations, a classroom can be a little more relaxed than a tennis match, and a teacher can encourage students to keep quiet by saying:
Spanish
Estamos en examen, chicos, Silencio.
English
We’re in the middle of an exam, kids. Silence.
Guarda silencio
Guarda silencio is a similar word to silencio. The phrase in question can be translated literally as “be silent” or “keep quiet.” It is utilised in formal circumstances since it is much more professional and polite than silencio alone.
Chitón
Chitón is unquestionably the most informal way to say “shut up” on this list. It’s a phrase that roughly translates to “shush” and is widely used in many Spanish-speaking nations, though not everywhere. You’d use it in a fairly casual setting with friends or close family members.
This expression might be used in the following contexts:
Spanish
Chitón, Juana, que quiero escuchar la televisión
English
Shush, Juana, I want to hear the TV
Since this is an expression, you can use the word chitón without having to conjugate it in person or number.
Bonus: Quiet!
A nonverbal command to stop talking in English is to make the sound “shh” while placing your index finger to your lips.
Thankfully, we can also beg for silence in Spanish by using the exact same phrase!
Conclusion
We’ve seen several alternative methods to say “shut up” in Spanish in this post. From more casual phrases like silencio and guarda silencio to more formal ones like chitón, cállate, and cierra la boca.
Regardless of how professional or casual these phrases are, we should constantly be aware of how we use them because our tone can make them sound more angry, calm, or playful. Additionally, we can follow each of them with the phrase “please” to request that someone stop talking.
Read More:Â How to Spell Askew (Google Joke)
To Translate Spanish To English: Click Here