How to Say “Shush” in Italian

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zitto
/ˈd͡zit.to/
The Italian way to say 'shush' is zitto.
The word zitto means quiet. However, using it as a direct command like stai zitto is often perceived as rude or aggressive, similar to the English phrase 'shut up'. If you wish to express the verb 'to be silent' more neutrally or formally without this bluntness, you can use the verb tacere.
Meaning: To be quiet (verb)

Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?

When addressing one person informally, it is common to use the command stai zitto. For a formal situation, the imperative version is stia zitto.

How does it change in a sentence?

The word must agree with the gender and number of the person or people being addressed. Use zitta for a female, zitti for a group of people (masculine plural) and zitte for a group of only females (feminine plural). To use zitto as a command for one person, it is common to pair it with the verb stare, resulting in stai zitto.

How do you pronounce it?

The pronunciation is /ˈdzit.to/. It has 2 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.

Did you know?

  • The verb tacere, the neutral alternative to zitto, is the root of the English word 'tacit', meaning understood without being stated.
  • While stai zitto is blunt, Italians often use the diminutive stai zittino to soften the command, especially when speaking to children.
  • The word zitto is thought to be onomatopoeic, meaning it was created to imitate the actual sound of someone making a quiet or hushed noise.

Examples in context

  • Silenzio, per favore
    Silence, please.
  • Tacete
    Be silent.
  • Zitto/a
    Shut up.
  • Taci
    Be quiet.
  • Sta' zitto/a
    Stay quiet.
  • Zitto, per favore!
    Quiet, please!
  • Stai zitto un momento.
    Be quiet for a moment.
  • Zitto! Il bambino dorme.
    Shush! The baby is sleeping.

Example conversation

Giulia and Francesco are in a quiet movie theater.

  1. Giulia

    Francesco, per favore, stai zitto!
    Francesco, please, be quiet!
  2. Francesco

    Scusa, Giulia, non volevo parlare.
    Sorry, Giulia, I didn't mean to talk.
  3. Giulia

    Zitto ora, stiamo guardando il film.
    Quiet now, we are watching the movie.
  4. Francesco

    Va bene, rimango zitto.
    Okay, I'll be quiet.

Sources

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Olivia Peggy
Olivia PeggyHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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