صَه
ṣah
The English phrase "shut up" can be translated into Arabic using صَه (ṣah). Wiktionary also lists اُسْكُت (uskut) and اِخْرَس (iḵras).
Meaning: "Stop talking." (intj)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| صَه | ṣah |
| اُسْكُت | uskut |
| اِخْرَس | iḵras |
These terms are used to command someone to stop talking.
Which one should you use?
The forms differ in tone and context. صَه is a classical, highly concise command to be silent, often used in formal or literary contexts. اُسْكُت is a standard command to be quiet, ranging from a firm request to a rude command depending on tone. اِخْرَس is much more aggressive and insulting than اُسْكُت, closer to the English 'shut up' or 'shut your trap'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The forms change depending on who you are addressing. When using the اُسْكُت form, use اُسْكُتِي for a female and اُسْكُتُوا for a group of people.
How do you pronounce it?
ṣah
Did you know?
- In some Arabic dialects, instead of using these formal commands, people might say سد بوزك which literally translates to 'close your muzzle'.
- The highly aggressive اِخْرَس is derived from a root meaning 'to be deaf' or 'to be mute', implying the person should lose their ability to speak.
- The distinction between the formal صَه and the colloquial اُسْكُت is so sharp that using the former in a casual coffee shop might make you sound like a character from a historical epic.
Example sentences for Arabic are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Sara and Yusuf are arguing in the library.
- سارة Saraصَه يا يوسف، نحن في المكتبة!Sah ya Yusuf, nahnu fil-maktaba!Shut up, Yusuf, we are in the library!
- يوسف Youssefلكنني أريد إخبارك بشيء مهم.Lakinnani urid ikhbaraka bi-shay' muhim.But I want to tell you something important.
- سارة Saraلا يهمني، اصمت الآن.La yuhimuni, ismit al-aan.I don't care, be quiet now.
- يوسف Youssefحسناً، سأصمت.Hasanan, sa-asmut.Fine, I will be quiet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shut up” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
