Callate
vos, informal, rude
To say shut up in Guatemala people use Callate, the vos form. Other forms are Cállate and the more distant Cállese. All of them are rude. It is also called Silencio, por favor.
Meaning: rude command to be quiet (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| Callate | vos, informal, rude |
| Silencio, por favor | polite |
| Cállate | tú, informal, rude |
| Cállese | usted, less rude |
Use Silencio, por favor when you want to ask for quiet politely. The bare command can offend even among friends.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The form callate comes from the verb callar with the vos ending, and Guatemalans use it with people they know well.
Did you know?
- In vos Spanish the command ends in a stressed vowel, so callate sounds like "ca-YA-te".
Examples in context
- Callate, por favor, estoy escuchando.Shut up, please, I am listening.
- Cállese, que no oigo.Be quiet, I cannot hear.
Example conversation
A teacher named Doña Ana speaks to her noisy class, including a boy named Pedro, in Guatemala City.
- Doña AnaSilencio, por favor.Quiet, please.
- PedroPerdón, profe.Sorry, teacher.
- Doña AnaGracias, sigamos con la clase.Thank you, let us continue with the lesson.
