Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| cállate | /ˈkaʝate/ | |
| cállate la boca | /kaʝate la boka/ (from spelling rules) | |
| cierra la boca | /θjera la boka/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /sjera la boka/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
|
| cállanse | /kaʝanse/ (from spelling rules) | |
| cierra el pico | /θjera el piko/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /sjera el piko/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
informal |
| cállate el hocico | /kaʝate el oθiko/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /kaʝate el osiko/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
impolite, informal |
These expressions are used to tell someone to stop talking. While cállate is the most common and straightforward way to express this, other variations exist depending on how literal or how aggressive you wish to be.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase cállate el hocico literally means "shut your snout", using a word for an animal's snout to be insulting. The phrase cierra el pico literally means "shut your beak", using a word for a bird's beak to tell someone to be quiet.
Which one should you use?
While cállate is a direct command to be quiet, cierra la boca is a more literal command to "close your mouth".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Cállate is the standard informal way to say "shut up" to friends or people you know well. For a more aggressive and impolite option, you can use cállate el hocico, which is significantly more insulting than the standard form. Cierra el pico is an informal way to tell someone to be quiet. In a formal context, you should avoid these and instead use the polite phrase Silencio, por favor (silence, please).
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Use cállense when addressing more than one person (plural), and use cállate when addressing a single person (singular/informal).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkaʝate/
When do people say it?
If you want to ask someone to stop talking or being noisy in an informal manner without being as direct as "shut up", you can use the expression Basta ya, which means "enough already".
Did you know?
- While cállate tells someone to stop talking, the root verb callar can also mean 'to keep a secret' or 'to hide something'.
- The word boca for 'mouth' actually comes from the Latin word bucca, which meant 'cheek'.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, using the word hocico to refer to a human's mouth is considered an extreme insult because it compares the person to a dog or pig.
Examples in context
- Cállate o te echarán.Shut up or they'll throw you out.This sentence shows how to use cállate as a warning.Tatoeba #1678669 by termito2nd, translation #8955701 by DJ_Saidez
- ¡Dije cierra la boca!I said shut up!This sentence uses cierra la boca to express an emphatic command.Tatoeba #2943239 by marcelostockle, translation #1453550 by Spamster
- Por favor, cállate ya.Please, shut up already.This sentence shows how to use cállate with a polite adverb.Tatoeba #7308234 by arh, translation #10102350 by espamatics
- Cuando estaba viendo la película, mi hermano no dejaba de hablar. Le dije, "¡Cállate!"When I was watching the movie, my brother wouldn't stop talking. I told him, "Shut up!"
- Estábamos intentando estudiar, pero nuestros compañeros de cuarto estaban haciendo mucho ruido. Les dijimos, "¡Basta ya!"We were trying to study, but our roommates were making a lot of noise. We told them, "Enough already!"
- 44 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and María are in a movie theater.
- Javier¡Cállate, María, por favor!Shut up, María, please!
- MaríaNo dije nada.I didn't say anything.
- JavierEstás haciendo mucho ruido.You are making too much noise.
- MaríaEstá bien, me callo.Fine, I'll be quiet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shut up” translations and entries cállate, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries boca, la, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
