How to Say "Shh" in German - How To Say Guide

pst

The English phrase "shh" can be expressed in German using pst, pscht or scht.

Meaning: requesting silence (intj)

Ways to say it

These expressions are used to request silence or to signal someone to be quiet.

The form pscht includes a 'ch' sound (a voiceless palatal fricative), which makes the sound slightly softer or more prolonged than the abrupt pst.

In Swabian dialects, the form scht is used to quiet someone down.

A sudden, sharp pst is often used as a way to grab someone's attention before even saying a word, much like tapping someone on the shoulder.
While 'shh' in English is often a gentle request, using pscht in Germany can sometimes be perceived as quite rude or impatient if directed at a stranger.
In Germany, a finger pressed to the lips accompanied by pscht is a universal gesture, but doing so to a superior in a formal professional setting can be seen as surprisingly rude.

Pst! Du sprichst zu laut!
Shh, you're speaking too loudly.
This sentence shows how to use pst to tell someone they are speaking too loudly.
Tatoeba #2990142 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #328571 by fcbond
Pst, ich kann nichts hören!
Shh, I can't hear anything!
This sentence shows how to use pst when you cannot hear anything due to noise.
Tatoeba #13692670 by Ioan_Cristian, translation #13692672 by Ioan_Cristian
Seien Sie bitte leise. Die Sitzung beginnt gleich.
Please be quiet. The meeting is about to start.
Hey, könntest du bitte leiser sein? Wir versuchen uns zu unterhalten.
Hey, could you keep it down? We're trying to have a conversation.
1 more sentence on Tatoeba

Sarah and Julian are in a library.

Sources

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