cállate la boca
/kaʝate la boka/from spelling rules
The English phrase "shut the hell up" can be translated into Spanish as cállate la boca.
Cállate la boca is used as a direct and forceful way to tell someone to keep their mouth shut. It is an aggressive or angry command intended to make someone stop talking immediately.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
While the command cállate is a standard way to tell someone to be quiet, adding la boca increases the aggression and intensity of the phrase, making it an informal and much harsher equivalent to "shut the hell up".
Did you know?
- While cállate is a command, the phrase ¡Cállate! is often used ironically among very close friends to mean 'No way!' or 'You're joking!' when hearing surprising news.
- If you want to be even more aggressive than cállate la boca, Spanish speakers often use cierra el pico, which literally translates to 'close the beak'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the aggression in a command like cállate la boca is often conveyed through a sharp, descending tone of voice rather than through swear words.
Examples in context
- ¡Cállate la boca ya!Shut your mouth already!
- ¡Cállate la boca, de una vez!Shut your mouth, once and for all!
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are having a heated argument.
- DanielNo quiero oïr πιο mentiras.I don't want to hear more lies.
- Elena¡Cállate la boca, Daniel!Shut the hell up, Daniel!
- Daniel¡Tú cállate!You shut up!
- ElenaYa no voy a decir nada.I'm not saying anything else.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
