cállate mono negro
/kaʝate mono neɡɾo/from spelling rules
The phrase cállate mono negro is the Spanish way to say shut up black monkey.
This phrase is a highly offensive racial slur used to tell a Black person to stop talking.
How do you pronounce it?
/kaʝate mono neɡɾo/
Did you know?
- In Spain, the word mono is commonly used as an adjective to mean 'cute' or 'pretty'. This creates a jarring linguistic contrast where the same word can be a compliment or a dehumanizing slur.
- The Spanish word mono shares a common ancestor with the English word 'monkey', both tracing back to the Arabic word maymūn meaning 'baboon' or 'mandrill'.
- While cállate literally means 'shut up', in many Spanish-speaking cultures, the act of telling someone to be silent can be perceived as a severe loss of face or a deep social insult regardless of the adjectives added.
Example conversation
Two people are arguing in a street.
- Sofía¡No quiero escucharte más!I don't want to listen to you anymore!
- DanielSolo estoy diciendo la verdad.I'm just telling the truth.
- Sofía¡Cállate mono negro!Shut up, black monkey!
- DanielNo puedo creer que digas eso.I can't believe you're saying that.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mono, negro, CC BY-SA 4.0.
