Which one should you use?
While bitte Ruhe is a standard way to make the request, you can also swap the word order to Ruhe bitte to issue the same request. This is a common way to ask for quiet in public settings or by teachers.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
There are several ways to express this depending on the social context. For a formal context, such as addressing a stranger or a group of people formally, you can use the imperative Seien Sie bitte ruhig or Bitte seien Sie leise. If you want to be even more polite and indirect in a formal setting, you can use Könnten Sie bitte leise sein? For informal situations, such as speaking to a friend or a child, you can use the imperative Sei bitte ruhig or the more indirect Könntest du bitte leise sein?
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbɪtə ˈʁuːə/
Did you know?
- The word Ruhe can refer to both silence and a state of peace or rest. Because of this, the same word is used for 'peace and quiet' and 'eternal rest' in a cemetery context.
- If someone is being excessively loud, a German speaker might use the noun Ruhestörung, which describes the legal offense of disturbing the peace.
- The word bitte is an ellipsis of the phrase ich bitte, meaning 'I beg'. It transforms a command into a request by framing it as a personal plea.
Examples in context
- Gib bitte Ruhe.Please be quiet.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase bitte Ruhe.Tatoeba #1972178 by Vortarulo, translation #449049 by CK
- Könnten Sie bitte etwas leiser sein?Could you please be a little quieter?
- Könnten Sie bitte wirklich leise sein?Could you please be really quiet?
- Im Unterricht bitte Ruhe!Please be quiet during the lesson!
Example conversation
Julian and Julia are in a library.
- JulianIch kann mich hier nicht konzentrieren.I can't concentrate here.
- JuliaWarum? Ist es zu laut?Why? Is it too loud?
- JulianJa, bitte Ruhe an diesem Tisch.Yes, please be quiet at this table.
- JuliaEntschuldigung, Julian, ich bin jetzt leise.Sorry, Julian, I'll be quiet now.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (bitte, Ruhe) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Ruhe, bitte, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
