Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA |
|---|---|
| cala a boca | /ˈka.lɐ a ˈbo.kɐ/ (Brazil) /ˈka.l‿ɐ ˈbo.kɐ/ (Brazil) |
| cale-se | |
| cale a boca | /ˈka.li a ˈbo.kɐ/ (Brazil) /ˈka.l‿ɐ ˈbo.kɐ/ (Portugal) |
| cala-te |
The phrase is often used as an imperative to tell someone to stop talking immediately, often in an aggressive or annoyed manner.
What does it mean word for word?
The expression cala a boca literally means "shut the mouth".
Which one should you use?
Cala a boca is a common informal way to say shut up and is used with friends or people you are close to. In Brazil, you may hear cale a boca as an alternative for saying shut up. In Portugal, cala-te is commonly used to express the desire for someone to be quiet.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form cala-te is the reflexive form commonly used in Portugal to mean "shut up". Other related verbs include calar-se and calar a boca (to stop talking or making noise) and the transitive verb calar (to stop a person from talking or a person or thing from making noise).
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈka.lɐ a ˈbo.kɐ/. The word has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- In some social contexts in Brazil, saying cala a boca with a specific rising intonation can actually express disbelief or surprise, similar to the English 'no way'.
- The word boca comes from the Latin bucca, which actually has Celtic origins rather than Latin ones.
- In many Brazilian regions, using cala a boca can sound much more aggressive and confrontational than the English 'shut up' might in a casual setting.
Examples in context
- Cala a boca, idiota!Shut up, dumbass!This example shows how to use cala a boca with an insult.Tatoeba #1664775 by alexmarcelo, translation #4824039 by whitefishglobal
- Cala a boca e senta.Shut up and sit down.This example shows how to use cala a boca to give a command to sit.Tatoeba #2500525 by alexmarcelo, translation #2499064 by Hybrid
- Cala a boca e dirige.Shut up and drive.This example shows how to use cala a boca to command someone to drive.Tatoeba #6771896 by lucasmg123, translation #5757828 by CM
- 27 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are arguing over a video game.
- JulianaCala a boca, Rodrigo!Shut up, Rodrigo!
- RodrigoPor que eu tenho que calar a boca?Why do I have to shut up?
- JulianaPorque você não para de reclamar.Because you won't stop complaining.
- RodrigoTá bom, eu vou ficar quieto.Fine, I will be quiet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shut up” translations and entries cala a boca, cale a boca, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, boca, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
