黙って
damatte
The English phrase "just shut up" is translated into Japanese as 黙って (damatte).
黙って is a blunt command used to tell someone to stop talking immediately. You can add いいから to the front of the phrase to create いいから黙って, which adds the nuance of "just" or "enough already," as if to say "stop arguing and just be quiet."
Which one should you use?
While 黙って is a blunt command, the phrase 静かにして is a more polite way to ask someone to be quiet. The word うるさい can also be used informally to convey the meaning of "be quiet" or "shut up."
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
黙って is informal. For a more formal request, such as "Please be quiet," use 黙ってください. In highly aggressive or harsh situations, the imperative form 黙れ is used to command someone to "shut up."
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 黙ってて is a contraction of 黙っていて, which is used to emphasize the continuous state of being quiet, translated as "be staying silent."
How do you pronounce it?
damatte
Did you know?
- Because Japanese relies heavily on social hierarchy, using 黙って toward a superior would not just be rude, but would be seen as a massive social transgression. It is a phrase strictly reserved for equals or those below you.
- The root verb of 黙って is 黙る, which originally meant to be silent or to keep a secret. Because of this, using the word can sometimes imply you are asking someone to keep a secret rather than just stop making noise.
- The phrase いいから used before 黙って literally translates to 'because it is good', but in this context it functions to dismiss the other person's opinion entirely.
Examples in context
- いいから黙って。Just shut up.This sentence is useful for expressing "Just shut up."Tatoeba #3506580 by arnab, translation #2249454 by CK
- ちょっと黙ってくれる？Could you just shut up for a bit?This sentence is useful for asking "Could you just shut up for a bit?"Tatoeba #10585539 by Sonata, translation #10585950 by DJ_Saidez
- トム、頼むから黙ってて。Tom, please just shut up.This sentence is useful for saying "Tom, please just shut up."Tatoeba #9067566 by small_snow, translation #3300207 by Hybrid
- もう少し黙っていてくれる？Can you just shut up for a little longer?
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki is trying to study while Ren keeps talking about video games.
- 美咲 Misakiもう、黙って！mou, damatte!Geez, just shut up!
- 蓮 Renごめん、うるさかった？gomen, urusakatta?Sorry, was I being noisy?
- 美咲 Misaki本当に集中できないから。hontou ni shuuchuu dekinai kara.I really can't concentrate.
- 蓮 Renわかった、静かにするよ。wakatta, shizuka ni suru yo.Okay, I'll be quiet.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
