Which one should you use?
While silencia tu micrófono is a direct way to address the person, in professional or formal settings, it is more common to use the definite article el instead of the possessive tu, resulting in silencia el micrófono.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
There are several ways to express this depending on the level of politeness required. A highly formal way to say 'we kindly ask you to mute your microphone' is Le pedimos amablemente que silencie su micrófono. In informal settings, you can use Apaga tu micrófono or the shorter reflexive form silénciate to tell someone to mute themselves. You may also encounter the colloquial term Mutea tu micrófono.
How does it change in a sentence?
The reflexive form silénciate can be used as a shorter, more informal way to tell someone to mute themselves.
How do you pronounce it?
/silenθja tu mikɾofono/
Did you know?
- Using apaga instead of silencia literally means 'turn off' or 'extinguish', as if the microphone were a light or a fire.
- The term micro in micrófono comes from the Greek 'mīkros', meaning 'small', which is the same root used in the English word 'microscope'.
- The colloquial term mutea is a 'Spanglish' loanword created by taking the English verb 'mute' and adding the Spanish ending -ear.
Examples in context
- Buenas tardes a todos, por favor, silencien sus micrófonos. Necesitamos comenzar la reunión.Good afternoon everyone, please mute your microphones. We need to start the meeting.
- Les pedimos amablemente que muteen sus micrófonos para evitar ruidos de fondo.We kindly ask you to mute your microphones to avoid background noise.
- ¡Oye! Apaga tu micrófono, estás generando eco.Hey! Mute your microphone, you're causing an echo.
- ¡Ups! Disculpen, ya lo muteo.Oops! Sorry, I'll mute it now.
- Por favor, silencia tu micrófono.Please, mute your microphone.
- Silencia tu micrófono si no vas a hablar.Mute your microphone if you are not going to speak.
- Elena, silencia tu micrófono, por favor.Elena, mute your microphone, please.
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are in an online class.
- JavierElena, hay mucho ruido de fondo.Elena, there is a lot of background noise.
- ElenaLo siento, lo voy a arreglar.I am sorry, I will fix it.
- JavierSilencia tu micrófono para que no se oiga.Mute your microphone so it is not heard.
- ElenaListo, ya está silenciado.Done, it is now muted.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries micrófono, tu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
