What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of mukh (mouth), bondho (closed/shut) and koro (do/make).
Which one should you use?
While মুখ বন্ধ কর is a blunt command, the variation চুপ কর is a common informal way to say 'Be quiet' or 'Shut up'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form মুখ বন্ধ কর is extremely blunt and can be perceived as an aggressive or highly disrespectful command. For a standard informal way to speak to someone of equal or lower status, you can use মুখ বন্ধ করো. For formal situations, you can use আপনার মুখ বন্ধ রাখুন। to mean 'Please keep your mouth closed' or দয়া করে আপনার মুখ বন্ধ রাখুন। to say 'Please kindly keep your mouth closed'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Bangladesh, the variation মুখ বন্ধ রাখো means 'Keep your mouth closed'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form মুখ বন্ধ কর uses the tui verb conjugation, which is used for very intimate or highly derogatory/rude contexts. In contrast, the form মুখ বন্ধ করো uses the tumi (familiar/informal) verb conjugation.
How do you pronounce it?
mukh bondho koro
Did you know?
- In Bengali culture, telling someone to মুখ বন্ধ কর is not just rude but can be a severe social transgression depending on the age gap between the speakers.
- The word বন্ধ (closed) comes from the same root as the Bengali word for 'to tie' or 'to bind', suggesting that closing one's mouth is linguologically akin to tying something shut.
- Bengali has a specific category of 'familiar' and 'formal' verbs, meaning you cannot simply add a 'please' to make মুখ বন্ধ কর polite without changing the verb ending.
Examples in context
- মুখ বন্ধ কর!mukh bando koro!Shut your mouth!
- একটু চুপ থাকো, মুখ বন্ধ কর।ektu chup thako, mukh bando koro.Be quiet, shut your mouth.
Example conversation
Ananya and Rahul are having a heated argument in the living room.
- অনন্যা Ananyaতুমি সারাদিন শুধু বকবক করো।tumi saradin shudhu bokbok koro.You just chatter all day long.
- রাহুল Rahulআমি তো শুধু সত্যি বলছি!ami to shudhu shotti bolchi!I am only telling the truth!
- অনন্যা Ananyaমুখ বন্ধ কর, রাহুল!mukh bando koro, Rahul!Shut your mouth, Rahul!
- রাহুল Rahulঠিক আছে, আমি চুপ করছি।thik ache, ami chup korchi.Alright, I am being quiet.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries কর, বন্ধ, মুখ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
