cállate
/ˈkaʝate/
The English phrase 'stfu' can be translated into Spanish as cállate.
Cállate is an aggressive and rude way to tell someone to stop talking, serving as a direct translation for 'Shut up'. For more emphasis, you can say ¡Cállate la boca!, which means 'Shut your mouth!'
Which one should you use?
To address a group of people, use cállense.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Cállate is an informal and often rude command. Even when using the formal version cállese, the phrase remains blunt and aggressive.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are telling more than one person to shut up, use the form cállense instead of cállate.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkaʝate/
Did you know?
- In many regions, ¡Cállate! is used as an expression of disbelief, similar to the English 'No way!' or 'Shut up!' when hearing a shocking piece of gossip.
- The word cállate comes from the verb callar, which unlike the English 'shut up' can also mean to keep a secret or remain silent about a known truth.
- While English speakers often use 'shut up' as a joke among friends, using cállate in a Spanish-speaking social context is much more likely to trigger a genuine physical or verbal confrontation.
Examples in context
- ¡Oye, cállate un momento! Estoy tratando de concentrarme.Hey, shut up for a moment! I'm trying to concentrate.
- ¡Cállate de una vez!Shut up once and for all!
- ¡Cállate, no quiero oírte!Shut up, I don't want to hear you!
- Solo cállate y siéntate.Just shut up and sit down.
Example conversation
Two siblings are arguing loudly in the living room.
- Sofía¡Cállate, Alejandro, me desesperas!Shut up, Alejandro, you drive me crazy!
- Alejandro¡Tú cállate primero!You shut up first!
- Sofía¡No me digas qué hacer!Don't tell me what to do!
- Alejandro¡Eres insoportable, Sofía!You are unbearable, Sofía!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry cállate, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
