Which one should you use?
While callado refers to a person's temperament or habit of not speaking, silencioso is more often used to describe a lack of noise or a quiet environment. In some regions, the terms taciturno or taciturna are used to describe someone who is habitually silent and inwardly focused.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree in gender with the person being described, so use callada if the person is female. The adjective becomes callados when referring to a group of men or a mixed-gender group. The adjective becomes calladas when referring to a group consisting only of women. To say 'the quiet one' as a noun phrase, add the definite article el or la before the adjective, resulting in el callado or la callada.
How do you pronounce it?
/kaˈʝado/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, if someone is being 'too quiet' in a suspicious way, you might use the phrase muy calladito to imply they are hiding a secret.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, being callado is traditionally associated with wisdom or prudence, as seen in the phrase en boca cerrada no entran moscas.
- While callado describes a state, the command form ¡Cállate! is frequently viewed as much more aggressive and harsh than the English request to 'be quiet'.
Examples in context
- El señor Martínez es una persona reservada que prefiere trabajar en silencio.Mr. Martínez is a reserved person who prefers to work in silence.
- Él siempre ha sido un chico callado.He has always been a quiet boy.
- Es un poco callado, pero es muy amable.He is a bit quiet, but he is very kind.
- No te preocupes, él es solo un poco callado.Don't worry, he is just a bit quiet.
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are talking about a new coworker at a party.
- Javier¿Qué te parece el nuevo compañero?What do you think of the new coworker?
- SofíaEs un hombre muy callado.He is a very quiet man.
- JavierSí, casi no habla con nadie.Yes, he hardly talks to anyone.
- SofíaSeguro que es tímido.I'm sure he is just shy.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry callado, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
