Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| se taire | |
| garder le silence | /ɡaʁ.de l(ə) si.lɑ̃s/ |
The phrase is used to express the act of remaining silent or stopping one's speech.
What does it mean word for word?
The verb se taire is a pronominal verb, where the se acts as a reflexive pronoun meaning 'oneself'.
Which one should you use?
While se taire often implies the specific act of stopping one's speech or becoming silent, garder le silence implies the ongoing maintenance of a state of silence.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Depending on your situation, you might choose different forms. For a blunt or informal way to tell a single person to be quiet, you can use Tais-toi, though this is often perceived as rude. For a highly polite or official request, such as a public announcement, use Veuillez garder le silence or Restez silencieux. If you wish to be polite but less formal, you can say S'il vous plaît, restez silencieux.
How does it change in a sentence?
As a pronominal verb, se taire must be conjugated with reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nous, vous, se) in all tenses.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying garder tranquille to mean 'keep quiet'. While tranquille is an adjective meaning 'quiet' or 'calm', it cannot be used as a direct object of garder in that manner.
Did you know?
Examples in context
- Il faut se taire pendant le film.You must keep quiet during the movie.
- Elle a dû se taire pour écouter.She had to keep quiet to listen.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “keep quiet” translations and entries garder le silence, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries garder, le, se, silence, taire, CC BY-SA 4.0.
