ole hiljaa
The Finnish phrase for "be quiet" is ole hiljaa.
The phrase is a request or command for someone to stop making noise. Depending on your tone of voice, using ole hiljaa as a direct command can sound quite blunt or rude in Finnish.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the imperative form of the verb olla (to be), which is ole and the adverb hiljaa (quietly/quietly).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ole hiljaa is the singular imperative form and is used with friends, children or people you know well. To be more formal, or when addressing a group, use olkaa hiljaa.
How does it change in a sentence?
The imperative form changes to olkaa hiljaa when addressing more than one person or when using a formal tone.
Did you know?
- In Finnish, hiljaa is used not only for silence but also for speed. If someone is driving too fast or speaking too quickly, a Finn might tell them to go hiljaa to mean 'slowly'.
- Because silence is often the default social expectation in Finland, commanding someone to ole hiljaa can feel much more aggressive or jarring than the English equivalent.
- The adverb hiljaa is derived from the Proto-Finnic word *hiljada, which conveys the idea of being 'at rest' or 'still'.
Examples in context
- Ole hiljaa äläkä häiritse työtäni.Please be quiet and don't hamper my work.This sentence shows how to use ole hiljaa to request quiet while working.Tatoeba #5722091 by mztae, translation #2332759 by orcrist
- Ole hiljaa!Be quiet!This sentence shows a direct use of ole hiljaa as a command.Tatoeba #3365516 by Silja, translation #430128 by sysko
- Ole hiljaa.Be quiet.This sentence shows a standard use of ole hiljaa.Tatoeba #3830124 by Silja, translation #1275396 by jakov
- Ole hiljaa, ole hyvä.Be quiet, please.
- Ole ystävällisesti hiljaa.Kindly be quiet.
- Hiljaa!Quiet!
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matti and Laura are in a library.
- MattiOle hiljaa, Laura.Be quiet, Laura.
- LauraAnteeksi, Matti.Sorry, Matti.
- MattiTäällä pitää olla hiljaa.One must be quiet here.
- LauraMinä yritän.I will try.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hiljaa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
