sei leise
The German phrase for be quiet is sei leise.
This phrase is used as a request or command for someone to stop making noise. When used as a standalone command, Sei leise! can sound quite blunt or even rude depending on your tone, much like the English phrase 'Be quiet!'
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the imperative form of sein (to be) and the adjective leise (quiet or soft).
Which one should you use?
While sei leise specifically refers to the volume of sound, the similar phrase Sei ruhig can mean both 'be quiet' and 'be calm/still'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the verb changes based on whom you are addressing. Use sei leise when speaking to one person informally. If you are addressing a group of people informally, use seid leise. For formal address, use Seien Sie leise.
Did you know?
- While sei leise asks for silence, Germans often use the phrase Halt den Mund, which literally means 'hold your mouth' to tell someone to shut up.
- The word leise shares a linguistic ancestor with the English word 'low', tracing back to the same Proto-West Germanic roots.
- In a formal setting like a library, using the imperative Seien Sie leise can still feel quite sharp and confrontational to a native speaker.
Examples in context
- Sei leise, damit ich schlafen kann!Be quiet so I can get some sleep.This sentence shows how to use sei leise to explain the reason for the request.Tatoeba #5216638 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2395938 by CK
- Sei leise.Be quiet.This is a simple use of sei leise as a direct command.Tatoeba #1970678 by Zaghawa, translation #1275396 by jakov
- Sei leise, bitte.Please be quiet.This demonstrates how to make the request more polite by using sei leise with 'please'.Tatoeba #1972179 by Vortarulo, translation #449049 by CK
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
In a library, Hannah is trying to study.
- HannahMaximilian, sei leise!Maximilian, be quiet!
- MaximilianOh, Entschuldigung, Hannah.Oh, sorry, Hannah.
- HannahIch muss mich konzentrieren.I need to concentrate.
- MaximilianIch bin jetzt ganz ruhig.I will be very quiet now.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries leise, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
