Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| silenciar | /silenˈθjaɾ/ /silenˈsjaɾ/ |
| quitar el sonido | /kitaɾ el sonido/ (from spelling rules) |
| mutear | /muteˈaɾ/ |
The verb silenciar is used to mean turning off the sound. You can also use the more literal and descriptive phrase quitar el sonido, which is used when referring to general settings or physical devices. In digital environments, the anglicism mutear is used. Note that these verbs describe the action of muting, whereas the adjective mudo describes a person who lacks the power of speech. In literary or artistic contexts, silente can act as a synonym for mudo/muda, while sin voz (voiceless) and sin habla (speechless) can also be used to convey the concept of being mute.
Which one should you use?
Silenciar is the standard, formal way to say 'to mute' in software or general conversation. In contrast, mutear is informal internet slang. While silenciar is the verb for the action of turning off sound, mudo is the adjective used to describe a person who is unable to speak. Finally, quitar el sonido is a more descriptive, literal way to say 'to turn off the sound' and is used when referring to physical devices or general settings.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Silenciar is the standard and formal option. For digital contexts like gaming or video calls, the slang term mutear is common.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina and Uruguay, the term mudo/muda might be replaced by sordo/sorda to refer to someone who is deaf and cannot speak.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To describe a device or a user that is currently in a 'muted' state, use the past participle silenciado.
How do you pronounce it?
/silenˈθjaɾ/
Did you know?
Examples in context
- El niño es mudoThe child is mute
- La película está mudaThe movie is silent
- Ella nació con discapacidad auditiva y es mudaShe was born with hearing impairment and is mute
- No hables, mantente calladoDon't speak, stay quiet
- Mi hermana es calladaMy sister is quiet
- Mi sobrino es sordo y mudo desde su nacimientoMy nephew is deaf and mute since birth
- No olvides silenciar tu teléfono en la clase.Don't forget to mute your phone in class.
- Voy a silenciar las notificaciones de la computadora.I am going to mute the computer notifications.
- Puedes silenciar el micrófono si no quieres hablar.You can mute the microphone if you don't want to speak.
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are having an online meeting.
- LucíaJavier, ¿puedes silenciar tu micrófono?Javier, can you mute your microphone?
- JavierLo siento, Lucía, olvidé silenciarlo.I'm sorry, Lucía, I forgot to mute it.
- LucíaNo pasa nada, hay mucho ruido de fondo.It's fine, there is a lot of background noise.
- JavierYa lo hice, ahora estoy en silencio.I've done it, now I am on mute.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mute” translations and entries silenciar, mutear, 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 el, mutear, quitar, silenciar, sonido, CC BY-SA 4.0.
