How to Say Shut Up in Spanish

Co-authored by Alejandra Alfonzo

Last Updated: March 4, 2025

There are a variety of ways to say "shut up" in Spanish. They are of varying severity but they all get the point across. If you want to learn to say "shut up" in Spanish, for whatever reason, just follow these easy tips.

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1
Say "shut up." "Cállate" is the literal translation of "shut up" in Spanish, and there are a few ways to say it.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Alejandra Alfonzo
Language Instructor

Expert Interview} The word is pronounced "ka-ya-tay." Here's what you can say:^{[2]
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Research source}
- "¡Cállate!" ("Shut up!")
- "¡Cállense!" ("Shut up!" to a group of people.)^{[3]
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  Expert Source
  
  Alejandra Alfonzo
  Language Instructor
  
  Expert Interview}
- "Cállate, por favor." ("Please shut up.")
- "Necesito que te calles." ("I need you to shut up.")
2
Say "shut up" more gracefully. Instead of telling people to shut up, you could take a more polite approach and ask for silence instead. This will get your point across but won't be quite as offensive. Here's what you can say:
- "Silencio." ("Silence.")
- "Guarde silencio." ("Keep silent.")
- "Haga silencio." ("Be quiet.")
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3
Say "shut up" more forcefully. If you really want to say "shut up" and "cállate" just isn't doing it for you, you can take a more forceful approach. Here are a few ways to really get your point across:
- "¡Cierra la boca!" ("Shut your mouth!")^{[4]
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- "¡Cierra el hocico!" ("Shut your trap!")
- "¡Cierra el pico!" ("Shut your mouth/trap!")

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How do I say "chocolate" in Spanish?

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The spelling is the same, although the pronunciation is different: Choh-koh-LAW-teh

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How do I say "brother" and "sister" in Spanish

Jay Pratap

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Brother is "hermano," and sister is "hermana." Be careful, as the -o masculine ending and -a feminine ending are crucial to the meaning. "Hermano" can also mean the neutral idea of a "sibling."

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How do you say "I am so grateful" in Spanish?

Donagan

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Estoy muy agradecido.

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Tips

If someone is talking a lot and you want him to stop, you can say, "¡Basta! ("Enough!")^{[5]
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You can say "gracias" ("thank you") after anything, but it may come off as insincere if you're saying it after you told someone to shut up using the forceful method.

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You can also say "shhhhh" in Spanish for the same effect it would have in English.

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