пожалуйста, замолчи
pozhaluysta, zamolchi
The English phrase "please shut up" is translated into Russian as пожалуйста, замолчи (pozhaluysta, zamolchi).
пожалуйста, замолчи is a request for someone to stop talking. Because it combines the polite word пожалуйста (please) with a command, the tone is paradoxical. Depending on the context, it can range from a desperate, polite request to heavy sarcasm.
Which one should you use?
While пожалуйста, замолчи is a way to ask for silence, the single word заткнись is a much more aggressive and rude way to say "shut up".
How does it change in a sentence?
The imperative form changes based on who you are addressing: use the informal замолчи for one person you know well, and use the formal замолчите when addressing someone with respect or when speaking to a group.
How do you pronounce it?
pozhaluysta, zamolchi
Did you know?
- While замолчи asks someone to stop talking, the more aggressive заткнись literally evokes the image of plugging a hole or stuffing a gap.
- The word пожалуйста is actually a linguistic fossil. It was originally a combination of the word пожалуй and an ancient emphasis marker -ста that has completely disappeared from modern Russian.
- Using the formal замолчите with a stranger is rarely seen as polite and is instead often perceived as a cold, stern command.
Examples in context
- Пожалуйста, заткнись, я пытаюсь что-то сказать!Please, shut up, I'm trying to say something!
- Пожалуйста, замолчи, я хочу спать.Pozhaluysta, zamolchi, ya khochu spat'.Please shut up, I want to sleep.
- Пожалуйста, замолчи, ты слишком громко говоришь.Pozhaluysta, zamolchi, ty slishkom gromko govorish'.Please shut up, you are talking too loudly.
- Пожалуйста, замолчи, мне нужно сосредоточиться.Pozhaluysta, zamolchi, mne nuzhno sosredotochit'sya.Please shut up, I need to concentrate.
Example conversation
Ekaterina is trying to read a book while Dmitry talks.
- Дмитрий DmitryА ты знаешь, что случилось вчера?A ty znayesh', chto sluchilos' vchera?Do you know what happened yesterday?
- Екатерина EkaterinaДмитрий, пожалуйста, замолчи.Dmitriy, pozhaluysta, zamolchi.Dmitry, please shut up.
- Дмитрий DmitryПочему ты такая сердитая?Pochemu ty takaya serditaya?Why are you so angry?
- Екатерина EkaterinaЯ просто хочу почитать в тишине.Ya prosto khochu pochitat' v tishine.I just want to read in silence.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries пожалуйста, CC BY-SA 4.0.
