Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| cállate | /ˈkaʝate/ | |
| cállate la boca | /kaʝate la boka/ (from spelling rules) | |
| cierra la boca | /θjera la boka/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /sjera la boka/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
|
| cállanse | /kaʝanse/ (from spelling rules) | |
| cierra el pico | /θjera el piko/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /sjera el piko/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
informal |
| cállate el hocico | /kaʝate el oθiko/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /kaʝate el osiko/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
impolite, informal |
These phrases are used to command someone to stop talking.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase cállate el hocico literally means "shut your snout", using the word for an animal's muzzle to create a strong insult. The phrase cierra el pico literally means "close your beak", using the word for a bird's beak as a colloquial way to tell someone to be quiet.
Which one should you use?
While cállate is a direct command to be silent, cierra la boca (close your mouth) is often used with a similar level of bluntness or aggression.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Cierra el pico is informal. cállate el hocico is impolite and informal.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
cállate is the singular informal imperative used when speaking to one person. cállense is the plural imperative used when speaking to a group of people.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkaʝate/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, using cállate toward an elder or a person of authority is considered a grave sign of disrespect, far more so than saying 'shut up' in English.
- The word boca is actually an evolutionary descendant of the Latin word bucca, which originally meant 'cheek' rather than 'mouth'.
- The word silencio is the formal noun for 'silence', but if you want to command silence with authority in a formal setting, you would use guarden silencio instead of the blunt cállense.
Examples in context
- Cállate o te echarán.Shut up or they'll throw you out.This sentence shows the consequence of not being quiet using cállate.Tatoeba #1678669 by termito2nd, translation #8955701 by DJ_Saidez
- ¡Dije cierra la boca!I said shut up!This sentence demonstrates an aggressive command using cierra la boca.Tatoeba #2943239 by marcelostockle, translation #1453550 by Spamster
- Por favor, cállate ya.Please, shut up already.This sentence shows how to add 'already' to the command using cállate.Tatoeba #7308234 by arh, translation #10102350 by espamatics
- 44 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are studying in a quiet library.
- AlejandroElena, por favor, cállate.Elena, please, shut up.
- ElenaNo estoy hablando, solo estoy pensando.I am not talking, I am just thinking.
- AlejandroPero tus susurros me distraen.But your whispering distracts me.
- ElenaLo siento, trataré de estar en silencio.I'm sorry, I will try to be silent.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shut up” translations and entries cállate, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries boca, la, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
