hablar bajo
/ablaɾ baxo/from spelling rules
To talk quietly in Spanish, say hablar bajo.
hablar bajo means to speak at a low volume so others cannot hear. To ask someone to do it, say Habla bajo, por favor. or Puedes hablar bajo, por favor.
What does it mean word for word?
bajo means low, so hablar bajo is literally to speak low.
Which one should you use?
hablar en voz baja is a common alternative that puts the focus on using a low voice.
How does it change in a sentence?
As a command, use habla bajo for one person you call tú and hablen bajo for a group.
How do you pronounce it?
The h in hablar is silent.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not translate quietly as silenciosamente. It suggests making no sound at all. Use hablar bajo for a low volume.
Did you know?
- The verb hablar shares a common ancestor with the English word 'fable', both originating from the Latin word for 'story' or 'speech'.
- In Spanish, the word bajo is used to describe both a low volume and a person's short height, whereas English typically uses 'low' for sound and 'short' for people.
- While hablar bajo is a request for low volume, using the phrase bajar la voz is often perceived as a sharper, more authoritative command to stop being loud.
Examples in context
- por favor, no hables tan altoPlease don't speak so loudly
- Por favor, intenta hablar bajo.Please, try to talk quietly.
- No es necesario hablar bajo aquí.It is not necessary to talk quietly here.
- Ella prefiere hablar bajo en la biblioteca.She prefers to talk quietly in the library.
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are in a movie theater.
- DanielLucía, ¿podemos hablar bajo?Lucía, can we talk quietly?
- LucíaTienes razón, lo siento Daniel.You're right, I'm sorry Daniel.
- DanielLa gente nos está mirando.People are looking at us.
- LucíaEstá bien, voy a hablar bajo ahora.Okay, I will talk quietly now.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bajo, hablar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
