callar

=

to keep quiet

verb

callar
intransitive verb
1. to keep quiet, to be silent (no hablar)
  • quien calla otorga -> silence signifies consent
2. to be quiet, to stop talking (dejar de hablar)
  • hacer callar a alguien -> to silence somebody
  • mandar callar a alguien -> to tell somebody to shut up
  • ¡calla! -> shut up!
  • ¡calla, si eso me lo dijo a mí también! -> guess what, he said that to me, too!
transitive verb
3. to keep quiet about (ocultar)
4. to silence (acallar)
callarse
pronomial verb
1. to keep quiet, to be silent (no hablar)
2. to be quiet, to stop talking (dejar de hablar)
  • ¡cállate! -> shut up!
  • ¿te quieres callar? -> would you keep quiet?
3. to keep quiet about (ocultar)
  • esa no se calla nada -> she always says what she thinks

Copyright © 2006 Chambers Harrap Publishers Limited

callar [cal-lyar’]
verb neuter
1. To keep silence, to be silent. (n)
2. To omit speaking of a thing, to pass it over in silence, to conceal, to hush. (n)
3. To cease singing: said of birds. (n)
4. To dissemble. (n)
5. To abate, to become moderate, to grow calm (viento, mar). (Poetry) (n)
  • Callar el pico -> to hold one’s tongue, to pretend not to have heard or seen anything of the matter in question
  • Mátalas callando -> by crafty silence he obtains his ends
  • Quien calla otorga -> silence implies consent
verb reflexive
6. To be silent, to be quiet, to remain silent.
  • ¡Calla! ¡cállate -> shut up
  • Sería mejor callarse -> it would be best to say nothing
  • Callar como un muerto -> to shut up like a clam
, be quiet, Hacer callar a uno, to make somebody be quiet.

Velazquez® Spanish and English Dictionary. Copyright © 2007 by Velazquez® Press. All rights reserved.

Verb Conjugation for "callar"

Infinitive
callar
Gerund
callando
Participle
callado
Presente Pretérito Imperfect Futuro Subjuntivo
Yo callo callé callaba callaré calle
Tú callas callaste callabas callarás calles
Ella/Él/Usted calla calló callaba callará calle
Nosotros callamos callamos callábamos callaremos callemos
Vosotros calláis callasteis callabais callaréis calléis
Ellos/Ustedes callan callaron callaban callarán callen
Complete callar conjugation

"callar" in the Answers forum
Q: "Mas vale callar lo qué se sabe......."
A: It's better to keep quiet what you know than to say something that you don't know.
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