How Do You Say Shut Up in Spanish

There are moments when you need to tell someone to shut up. Learning how to tell someone to shut up is an important first step in learning Spanish.

Keep in mind that there are a variety of contexts in which the word “shut up” can be employed, ranging from the violent and confrontational to the light and amusing. What you say will depend on the meaning you wish to communicate.

What Different Spanish Words Mean for “Shut Up”

Cállate

A native Spanish speaker will very certainly respond with the conventional Spanish word for “shut up,” cállate, if you ask them. Cállate, however, is not so simple.

The imperative form cáltate is used to provide commands or orders. Cállate’s te is a singular pronoun that means “you.” Therefore, this command is only appropriate for usage in one-on-one situations.

A slight modification of this word would allow you to say “shut up” in Spanish to a gathering of people. The Spanish word for “people” is “callaos,” whereas the Latin American word is “cállense.”

Make a Mouthful (in Spanish: “Cállate la Boca”).

Cállate la boca, meaning “close your mouth,” is another common way to say “shut up” in Spanish. Like the Spanish word cállate, this one requires the speaker to alter the final form of the verb depending on the number of individuals with whom they are communicating.

It’s not appropriate to use this term around strangers or those in positions of power, like a professor, because it’s too casual and informal.

On the other hand, it’s not always used in a condescending or insulting way. Its primary context is in lighthearted banter amongst close friends and relatives. But you can also show disbelief in this way, depending on your tone and the context. As an illustration, we could say,

Cierra la boca

‘Shut up’ is also translated as ‘cierra la boca’ in Spanish. Also common and informal is this variant. The phrase means “shut your mouth” or “seal your mouth” in its literal sense. You shouldn’t use such a combative phrase around elders or authorities.

When spoken, cierra la boca is an imperative command or order, much like the more common cállate. In the same vein as cierra la boca, we can also use the term cierra el pico, which literally means “shut your beak.”

Silencio

The Spanish word for “shut up” is the polite and formal silencio. Silencio can be used as a noun, meaning “silent,” to request that someone remain quiet.

Silencio is a noun, so you can always just say it without having to worry about the correct conjugation or finding an alternative word to use depending on your audience.

As a courteous expression, it finds frequent usage in lecture halls and business gatherings. However, it is appropriate for usage in other forms of polite discourse as well. Silencio, por favour (‘Silence, please’) is a phrase commonly used by tennis umpires to request silence.

A teacher in a country where classrooms are more casual than tennis courts could suggest to her students, “Can we just remain quiet so I can finish my lesson?”

Guarda Silencio

Guarda silencio means “very quiet” and “very quiet,” both of which are synonyms for silencio. It’s possible that “keep quiet” or “be quiet” is the literal translation of this phrase. Since it is even more respectful and proper than standard silencio, it is reserved for more formal occasions.