How to Say “Can You Be Quiet?” in Spanish

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¿puedes callarte?
The English phrase "can you be quiet?" is translated into Spanish as ¿puedes callarte?
This phrase is a request or command for someone to stop talking. While the standard phrase is a question, you may encounter other ways to demand silence. For example, the single word ¡Silencio! is often used by authority figures, such as teachers or librarians, to demand quiet more effectively than a full sentence. In very casual or blunt situations, you might hear the colloquial expression Cierra el pico, which means "Shut your beak/mouth".

Which one should you use?

While ¿puedes callarte? is a question phrased as a request, the imperative command ¡Cállate! is much more blunt and potentially rude. If you want to be more formal, you can use ¿Podría guardar silencio, por favor? or the more intense Le ruego que guarde silencio, which means "I beg you to be quiet".

Is it said differently in some regions?

In Spain, the phrase Podrías quedarte callado/a, por favor? is used to mean "Could you stay quiet, please?"

How does it change in a sentence?

You can adjust the politeness and number of people you are addressing by changing the verb: using the third-person singular form puede instead of puedes in ¿puede callarse? makes the request polite or formal. To address a group of people, use ¿pueden callarse?, which is common in Latin America or in formal settings in Spain.

Did you know?

  • While ¡Cállate! is a command for silence, the verb callar can also mean 'to keep a secret' or 'to hide a truth' in a figurative sense.
  • Using the phrase guardar silencio translates literally to 'save silence' or 'keep silence', treating quiet as if it were a physical object to be stored.
  • The verb callarse is reflexive, meaning the speaker is literally asking the other person to 'quiet themselves'.

Examples in context

  • ¿Puedes callarte? Estoy intentando estudiar.
    Can you be quiet? I am trying to study.

Example conversation

Daniel and Sofía are studying in a library.

  1. Daniel

    Sofía, ¿puedes callarte?
    Sofía, can you be quiet?
  2. Sofía

    Lo siento, no me di cuenta.
    I'm sorry, I didn't realize.
  3. Daniel

    Necesito concentrarme en el libro.
    I need to concentrate on the book.
  4. Sofía

    Está bien, guardaré silencio.
    It's okay, I'll stay silent.
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Lynn Lynn
Lynn LynnHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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