bitte halt den Mund
/ˈbɪtə halt de(ː)n mʊnt/word by word
In German, "please shut up" is translated as bitte halt den Mund.
This phrase is used as a request or a command for someone to stop talking.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, bitte halt den Mund translates to "please hold the mouth".
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbɪtə halt de(ː)n mʊnt/
Did you know?
- While bitte halt den Mund is a request, Germans may use the more aggressive Halt's Maul when they are truly angry. Maul refers to the mouth of an animal, making the phrase an insult to the person's humanity.
- Although 'please' is included via bitte, the phrase remains quite blunt and can still sound quite rude in many social settings.
- The word bitte is actually a shortened version of the full phrase 'ich bitte dich', which means 'I beg you'.
Examples in context
- Bitte halt den Mund!Please shut up.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase bitte halt den Mund.Tatoeba #8861799 by mramosch, translation #1495906 by CK
- Würden Sie bitte den Mund halten?Would you please keep your mouth shut?
- Kannst du bitte die Klappe halten?Can you please shut up?
- Halt einfach mal die Klappe!Just shut up for a moment!
- Bitte halt den Mund, ich möchte schlafen.Please shut up, I want to sleep.
- Es ist zu laut hier, bitte halt den Mund.It is too loud here, please shut up.
Example conversation
Two roommates are trying to study in a quiet room.
- SarahFelix, bitte halt den Mund!Felix, please shut up!
- FelixEs tut mir leid, Sarah.I am sorry, Sarah.
- SarahIch muss mich jetzt konzentrieren.I need to concentrate now.
- FelixAlles klar, ich bin jetzt ganz leise.All right, I will be very quiet now.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (bitte, Halt, den, Mund) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Mund, bitte, halt, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
