Which one should you use?
You might encounter other informal variations such as Cállate, chaval, Cierra el pico, niño, or Calla, mocoso. To use a more formal tone, you can use cállese, niño, although applying a formal command to a child is a linguistic mismatch.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase cállate, niño is informal because it uses the 'tú' imperative. Other forms like Cállate, chaval, Cierra el pico, niño, and Calla, mocoso. are also used in informal contexts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, you can use the regional variation Cállate, chavito.
How does it change in a sentence?
To address a female child, you must change the noun from niño to niña (e.g., cállate, niña). If you are addressing more than one child, change the verb to the plural imperative cállense and the noun to the plural niños (e.g., cállense, niños).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkaʝate ˈniɲo/
Did you know?
- The term mocoso is a more insulting way to say 'kid' because it literally means 'snotty-nosed'.
- Using the formal cállese with a child is so unnatural that it can sound sarcastic or mockingly polite to a native speaker.
- The word niño likely comes from an imitation of baby talk in Vulgar Latin, similar to how the English words 'nanny' and 'nana' were formed.
Examples in context
- Cállate, chaval.Shut up, little kid
- Cierra el pico, niñoShut your mouth, kid
- ¡Cállate, niño!Shut up, little kid!
- ¡Cállate, niño, que no me dejas dormir!Shut up, little kid, you're not letting me sleep!
- Solo te digo: cállate, niño.I'm only telling you: shut up, little kid.
Example conversation
Elena is annoyed by Alejandro's constant questions.
- ElenaCállate, niño, que no tengo paciencia.Shut up, little kid, I have no patience.
- AlejandroSolo quería saber la hora.I just wanted to know the time.
- ElenaPues deja de molestar.Well, stop bothering me.
- AlejandroEstá bien, no diré nada más.Fine, I won't say anything else.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (cállate, niño) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries niño, CC BY-SA 4.0.
