por favor, cállate
/poɾ faˈboɾ ˈkaʝate/word by word
In Spanish, 'please stop talking' is expressed as por favor, cállate.
This phrase is a request or command for someone to be quiet and stop speaking. You can also use Por favor, deja de gritar. if someone is speaking loudly to mean 'Please stop shouting.'
Which one should you use?
While por favor adds politeness, the command cállate is still inherently blunt and can be perceived as rude or aggressive depending on the tone. A slightly less aggressive way to say this is deja de hablar, por favor, which literally means 'stop talking, please'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the phrase Por favor, cállate means 'Please be quiet.' In Mexico, the phrase Por favor, guarda silencio means 'Please keep silence.'
How does it change in a sentence?
To tell a group of people to stop talking, use the plural form por favor, cállense instead of cállate.
How do you pronounce it?
/poɾ faˈboɾ ˈkaʝate/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, putting a finger to the lips while saying cállate can be seen as an infantalizing or condescending gesture.
- The word favor comes from the Latin faveō, meaning 'to be favorable' or 'to favor'. When you say por favor, you are literally asking someone to do you a favor or act in your favor.
- The command cállate is actually a combination of the verb callar and the reflexive pronoun te. It is not just a verb meaning 'to be quiet', but a reflexive action of 'quieting oneself'.
Examples in context
- Por favor, cállate.Please stop talking.Tatoeba #4554642 by swyter, translation #1911970 by Spamster
- Disculpe, ¿podría dejar de hablar, por favor?Excuse me, could you please stop talking?
- Señor, le pido que cese de hablar, por favor.Sir, I ask that you stop talking, please.
- Oye, por favor, para de hablar.Hey, please stop talking.
- Amigo, deja de hablar, por favor.Friend, stop talking, please.
- No puedo concentrarme, por favor, cállate.I cannot concentrate, please stop talking.
- Estás gritando mucho, por favor, cállate.You are shouting a lot, please stop talking.
Example conversation
Alejandro is trying to read a book while Sofía talks.
- AlejandroSofía, por favor, cállate un momento.Sofía, please stop talking for a moment.
- Sofía¿Por qué me lo pides?Why are you asking me that?
- AlejandroNecesito leer este capítulo en silencio.I need to read this chapter in silence.
- SofíaEstá bien, Alejandro, guardaré silencio.Alright, Alejandro, I'll be quiet.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (por, favor, cállate) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries favor, por, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
