¡Cállate, bobo!
/ˈkaʝate ˈbobo/word by word
The English phrase "shut up, goofy!" can be said in Spanish as ¡Cállate, bobo!
Which one should you use?
While bobo can mean 'goofy' in a lighthearted way, it can also be used as a mild insult to call someone a fool.
How does it change in a sentence?
To address a group of people (plural), you must change the verb to cállense and the noun to the plural bobos.
Did you know?
- The word bobo shares an ancient root with the Latin word balbus, which meant 'stuttering'. It is thought the repetitive 'bo-bo' sound was originally intended to mimic the sound of someone struggling to speak clearly.
- In certain Spanish-speaking cultures, a playful ¡Cállate! accompanied by a smile or a nudge is used as a flirtatious response to a compliment.
- While cállate is a direct command, using it with a diminutive like calladito can actually sound more condescending or sarcastic. It translates to 'be a little quiet', often used to mock someone who is talking too much.
Examples in context
- ¡Cállate, bobo!Goofy or silly
- No digas tonterías, ¡cállate, bobo!Don't say silly things, shut up, goofy!
Example conversation
Mateo is teasing Lucía about a silly mistake.
- LucíaNo te rías de mí.Don't laugh at me.
- MateoEs que fue muy gracioso.It's just that it was very funny.
- Lucía¡Cállate, bobo!Shut up, goofy!
- MateoEstá bien, ya paro.Okay, I'll stop now.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (cállate, bobo) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bobo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
