اسكت
uskutto a man, rude
The common way to tell a man to shut up in Arabic is اسكت (uskut), and to a woman اسكتي (uskuti). اخرس (ikhras) is much harsher and is a real insult.
Meaning: rude command to stop talking (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| اسكت | uskut | to a man, rude |
| اسكتي | uskuti | to a woman, rude |
| اخرس | ikhras | very rude, to a man |
All of these are rude with strangers, elders or anyone you respect. Between close friends, اسكت (uskut) can be used jokingly when someone says something unbelievable.
Which one should you use?
اسكت (uskut) literally means "be quiet". اخرس (ikhras) comes from a word for "mute" and carries real anger.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Learners sometimes use it as a casual "hush". In Arabic it is blunt, so a softer بس (bas), "enough", is safer.
Did you know?
- In many Arabic dialects اسكت (uskut) doubles as "no way" when someone shares surprising news.
Examples in context
- اسكت، أنا أحاول أن أسمعuskut, ana uḥāwil an asmaʿBe quiet, I am trying to listen
- اسكتي، بجد؟uskuti, bi-jadd?No way, really?
Example conversation
Two friends, Hani and Mazen, joke while watching a football match in Amman.
- Haniسجّل هدفاً في الدقيقة الأخيرة.Sajjal hadafan fī d-daqīqa l-akhīra.He scored in the last minute.
- Mazenاسكت! مستحيل.Uskut! Mustaḥīl.No way! Impossible.
- Haniشوف الإعادة.Shūf al-iʿāda.Watch the replay.
