halt den Mund
/halt de(ː)n mʊnt/word by word
The German phrase for "shut your mouth" is halt den Mund.
This phrase is an impolite command used to tell someone to stop talking or to be quiet.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the imperative form of halten (to hold/stop), the definite article den (the) and Mund (mouth).
Which one should you use?
Halt den Mund is more direct and can be more aggressive than the phrase Sei ruhig (Be quiet).
How does it change in a sentence?
To address a group of people instead of one person, use the plural imperative Haltet den Mund instead of Halt.
How do you pronounce it?
/halt de(ː)n mʊnt/
Did you know?
- While halt den Mund is impolite, adding bitte ('please') to this specific phrase often sounds sarcastic rather than polite.
- In German, the concept of 'holding' something often implies keeping it in a certain state, such as Halt die Ohren steif meaning 'keep your chin up'.
- The word Halt can also be used as a standalone command to tell a vehicle or a person to stop immediately.
Examples in context
- Halt den Mund!Shut your mouth.This example demonstrates the use of halt den Mund.Tatoeba #532985 by Dejo, translation #240561 by CK
- Könnten Sie bitte den Mund halten?Could you please keep your mouth shut?
- Halt die Klappe!Shut your mouth
- Sei still!Be quiet
- Halt den Mund, du nervst!Shut your mouth, you are annoying!
- Halt den Mund und hör zu.Shut your mouth and listen.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hannah and Julian are arguing in the living room.
- HannahDu sagst immer nur Unsinn!You are always saying nonsense!
- JulianHalt den Mund, Hannah!Shut your mouth, Hannah!
- HannahWie kannst du mich so behandeln?How can you treat me like that?
- JulianIch will jetzt gar nichts mehr hören.I don't want to hear anything more now.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (Halt, den, Mund) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
