¡chico, cállate!
/ˈt͡ʃiko ˈkaʝate/word by word
The Spanish phrase for "boy, shut up!" is ¡chico, cállate!
This phrase is an imperative used to tell a boy to stop talking immediately.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, you might say ¡Cállate, güey! to mean "Shut up, dude!" In Spain, ¡Cállate, tío! means "Shut up, man!" In Argentina, the phrase ¡Cerrá el orto, pibe! is used to mean "Shut your mouth, kid!"
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtʃiko ˈkaʝate/
Did you know?
- The Mexican slang word güey used in ¡Cállate, güey! originally meant 'bull' or 'ox', implying someone is clumsy or slow.
- In Argentina, the word pibe is a distinct slang term for 'boy' that originates from the Italian word pivello.
- The Argentine expression Cerrá el orto is significantly more vulgar than Cállate, as orto literally refers to the anus.
Examples in context
- ¡Cállate, chico!Shut up, boy!
- ¡Cierra el pico, muchacho!Shut your mouth, boy!
Example conversation
Sofía is annoyed by Mateo's constant talking during a movie.
- MateoMira, Sofía, creo que este personaje es un espía.Look, Sofía, I think this character is a spy.
- Sofía¡Chico, cállate! No puedo oír la película.Boy, shut up! I can't hear the movie.
- MateoLo siento, es que me emociono mucho.I'm sorry, it's just that I get very excited.
- SofíaSolo guarda silencio por un momento, Mateo.Just keep quiet for a moment, Mateo.
