tais-toi
You shut up in French, said to one person you know well, is tais-toi, that is tais-toi! If unsure, use tais-toi. Wiktionary also lists taisez-vous! formal or plural and ferme-la! informal and impolite.
Meaning: "Stop talking." (intj)
Ways to say it
| French |
|---|
| tais-toi |
| taisez-vous! formal or plural |
| ferme-la! informal and impolite |
| boucle-la! informal and impolite |
| la ferme! informal and impolite |
| ta gueule! informal and very impolite |
tais-toi! tells one person to stop talking. It is a command, so it is said directly to someone.
Which one should you use?
taisez-vous! is the formal form or the one for several people. ferme-la!, boucle-la! and la ferme! are informal and impolite, close to shut it. ta gueule! is informal and very impolite, and is best avoided.
Related words
What mistakes should you avoid?
Use tais-toi! only with one person you know well. With a stranger or a group, use taisez-vous!
Did you know?
- The phrase ta gueule uses the word gueule, which refers specifically to the maw or throat of an animal. By using this word, you are effectively comparing the person you are shouting at to a dog or a pig.
- The expression boucle-la comes from the word for a buckle. It evokes the image of buckling a strap or a belt tightly around someone's mouth to prevent them from speaking.
- While tais-toi is the standard way to say 'shut up', it is derived from the verb taire, which also means 'to keep a secret' or 'to leave something unsaid'.
Examples in context
- Tais-toi, s'il te plaît.Shut up, please.
- Je veux étudier, alors tais-toi.I want to study, so shut up.
- Tais-toi un instant !Shut up for a second!
Example conversation
Emma is talking too much while Lucas tries to read a book.
- LucasEmma, tais-toi un moment.Emma, shut up for a moment.
- EmmaJe ne disais rien de mal !I wasn't saying anything bad!
- LucasJe peux juste lire en silence ?Can I just read in silence?
- EmmaD'accord, je me tais.Okay, I'll shut up.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shut up” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
