halt's Maul
The English phrase "shut it" can be translated into German as halt's Maul.
This phrase is an aggressive and rude command used to tell someone to stop talking immediately.
Which one should you use?
While halt's Maul is extremely rude and insulting, Halt den Mund is a more standard, though still blunt, way to tell someone to be quiet. Another common variation is Halt dein Maul, which replaces the impersonal 's (it) with dein (your) to make the insult more direct.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
halt's Maul is highly vulgar and aggressive. It is used only in heated confrontations or among very close friends in a joking, albeit rude, manner. For a more appropriate way to firmly request that someone stop talking in formal situations, use Schweigen Sie. For informal settings, you might use Halt den Mund among friends and peers or the simple and straightforward Sei still among friends or family.
Did you know?
- The word Maul actually refers to the mouth of an animal, such as a snout or a muzzle, rather than a human mouth. Using it for a person is a way of dehumanizing them, implying they are behaving like a beast.
- If you want to tell someone to be quiet without being vulgar, you can use the word Still, which comes from the same root as the English 'stillness'. It is much softer than the aggressive Maul.
- In German, the word Schweigen implies a more profound, meditative, or respectful silence than simply being quiet. Using Schweigen Sie sounds almost poetic or formal, which creates a massive social distance from the vulgarity of halt's Maul.
Examples in context
- Komm schon, halt's Maul! Du redest zu viel.Come on, shut it! You talk too much.
- Halt's Maul!Shut it!
- Ich sagte: Halt's Maul!I said, shut it!
- Halt's Maul, du Idiot!Shut it, you idiot!
Example conversation
Maximilian and Hannah are having a heated argument in a park.
- MaximilianDu nervst mich nur!You're just annoying me!
- HannahWas hast du gesagt?What did you say?
- MaximilianHalt's Maul, Hannah!Shut it, Hannah!
- HannahDu bist ja unmöglich!You are impossible!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry halt's Maul, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Maul, CC BY-SA 4.0.
