quédate muy quieto
/kedate mui kjeto/from spelling rules
To say 'hold very still' in Spanish, use quédate muy quieto.
This phrase is a request for someone to remain completely motionless. In this context, the word quieto refers specifically to physical motionlessness rather than being silent or making no noise.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, you may hear the expression No te muevas ni un pelo, which means 'Don't move a hair'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase must agree with the person you are addressing. If you are speaking to a female, change the adjective from quieto to quieta (e.g., quédate muy quieta). If you are speaking to more than one person, use the plural form quédense muy quietos.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, saying ¡Quieto! is a standard command used by police or security to tell a suspect to freeze immediately.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the word quieto is a standard command used by trainers to signal a dog to stop moving or to stay in a fixed position.
- The word quieto is a 'learned borrowing' from Latin, meaning it was consciously reintroduced into the language by scholars rather than evolving naturally over time.
Examples in context
- Por favor, manténgase totalmente quieto/a durante el procedimiento.Please hold very still during the procedure.
- Por favor, permanezca inmóvil mientras pinto su retrato.Please hold very still while I paint your portrait.
- Quédate quieto mientras te ato los zapatos.Hold very still while I tie your shoes.
- Estate quieto en tu asiento mientras cuento hasta diez.Hold very still in your seat while I count to ten.
- ¡Quédate muy quieto para la foto!Hold very still for the photo!
- Quédate muy quieto para la foto.Hold very still for the photo.
- Por favor, quédate muy quieto mientras te examino.Please, hold very still while I examine you.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries muy, quieto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
