چپ رہو
chup rahoinformal
To tell someone to be quiet in Pakistan you say چپ رہو (chup raho) to a friend or child and خاموش رہیں (khāmosh rahein) to someone you respect. چپ کرو (chup karo) is blunt.
Meaning: request or order to stop talking (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Pakistan | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| چپ رہو | chup raho | informal |
| خاموش رہیں | khāmosh rahein | polite |
| چپ کرو | chup karo | blunt |
Adding براہِ مہربانی (barāh-e-mehrbānī), "please", makes خاموش رہیں a polite request, as at a library or in a mosque.
Which one should you use?
Urdu has three levels of "you". چپ رہو is for equals and children, خاموش رہیں is for elders or strangers, and the rude چپ کر (chup kar) is for very close friends or an angry speaker.
Did you know?
- خاموش (khāmosh) is a Persian loan and also means "silent" as an adjective, as in خاموش رات (khāmosh rāt), a silent night.
Examples in context
- بچو، چپ رہو۔Bachcho, chup raho.Children, be quiet.
- براہِ مہربانی خاموش رہیں۔Barāh-e-mehrbānī khāmosh rahein.Please be quiet.
- چپ کرو، بچہ سو رہا ہے۔Chup karo, bachcha so rahā hai.Be quiet, the baby is sleeping.
Example conversation
Teacher Mrs. Farah quiets her student Hamza before a test in Lahore.
- Mrs. Farahبچو، چپ رہو۔ امتحان شروع ہو رہا ہے۔Bachcho, chup raho. Imtiḥān shurūʿ ho rahā hai.Children, be quiet. The test is starting.
- Hamzaجی میڈم۔Jī madam.Yes, madam.
- Mrs. Farahحمزہ، آپ بھی خاموش رہیں۔Hamza, āp bhī khāmosh rahein.Hamza, you too please stay quiet.
- Hamzaمعاف کیجیے گا۔Muʿāf kījiyegā.Sorry.
