cálmate
/kalmate/from spelling rules
To say "calm down" in Spanish, use cálmate.
This phrase is used to tell someone to become less excited or to settle down.
Meaning: To become less excited (verb)
Which one should you use?
The form cálmate is used in informal situations when speaking to someone you know well. If you need to tell someone to calm down in a formal or respectful manner, use cálmese instead.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, the informal expression Bájale dos is used to mean "Take it down a notch". In Spain, cálmate is a common informal command.
How does it change in a sentence?
Cálmate is the imperative (command) form of the reflexive verb calmarse, which literally translates to "calm yourself down".
How do you pronounce it?
/kalmate/
When do people say it?
If you want to ask someone to remain composed, you can say Mantenga la calma, por favor which means "Please stay calm."
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, telling someone to cálmate can actually have the opposite effect, making them more agitated because it can sound dismissive of their feelings.
- If you want to tell someone to 'calm down' in an informal way in Mexico, you might say Bájale dos, which literally means 'lower it by two'.
- The root of the verb calmar is also found in the word 'calma', which in English is used in a nautical sense to describe a sea with no wind or waves.
Examples in context
- Respira profundo y cálmate.Take a deep breath and calm down.This sentence shows how to suggest breathing deeply and calming down using cálmate.Tatoeba #10286102 by Seael, translation #11069930 by Luornu
- Cálmate y explícamelo desde el principio.Calm down and explain it from the beginning.This sentence uses cálmate to ask someone to calm down before explaining something.Tatoeba #5451089 by Seael, translation #6075503 by mendel
- Cálmate.Calm down.This sentence is a simple use of cálmate as a direct command.Tatoeba #566428 by Shishir, translation #435575 by CK
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María is very upset about a mistake at work.
- JavierMaría, por favor, cálmate.María, please, calm down.
- MaríaEs que estoy muy nerviosa.It is just that I am very nervous.
- JavierTodo va a salir bien, cálmate.Everything is going to be fine, calm down.
- MaríaTienes razón, trataré de calmarme.You are right, I will try to calm down.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
