Children are best seen, not heard...
Hola Amigos, I was wondering if any of you could be of any assistance for my additional tarea de español. I was in class today talking to un amigo before the bell rang and jokingly said the dreaded: shut up, a big no-no in mi clase de español. Ahora I have to write 15 nicer ways of saying 'shut up' in Spanish and turn it in next class. (next class: Wed. Oct. 27) I will accept answers in both Spanish and English (if in Spanish, please provide translation). I will NOT accept any answers with profane or vulgar language (in Spanish or English); these answers WILL be flagged. MILDLY offensive (Shut your mouth) is okay though.
**NOTE: This is NOT cheating; I know this for a fact. One chica said 'the bad phrase' the other day in class and we all (including the teacher) were able to give her suggestions...
***NOTE: Humorous suggestions will DEFINITELY receive a vote from me. I love a good laugh. 
Thank you in advance!!!
~~¡Beautifleeblest!~~
6 Answers
Ok, you earned a few replies, so here's some ideas:
First, corrections to your translations:
"Los niños son los mejores cuando se ven, no escucha" - "A los niños es mejor verlos y no escucharlos".
"¡Silencio tú mismo!" - ¡Silénciate" But really, this is hardly any nice than "shut up". A not nice "funny" colloquial version of this can be: "¡Silénciate la bemba!", which is roughly equivalent to "Shut your trap". don't try this at school, or you'll get to write 30 sentences!
"Quizás necesitas ver un médico, creo que tienes diarrea de la boca." You can make this one sound a lot nicer if you write: "...creo que tienes verborrea".
Ok, my examples:
"Calladito te ves más bonito" - You look prettier if you're quiet.
"El silencio es oro" - "Silence is golden".
"En boca cerrada no entran moscas" - "A closed mouth gathers no flies".
And of course, last year's instant classic:
Why don't you shut up?
Beautifleeblest, you get my vote simply because this is one of the best and cheekiest "do my homework for me" ploys I have seen in the Forum so far. Nicely written, almost looks like a game - could have fooled me!
Certainly we will be happy to provide suggestions. I can think of several I'd love to contribute... but first you need to provide some samples of your own. A good few, mind you!
Meanwhile, here's my first contribution:
I have a few of my own:
"Cierra el buzón" (close the mailbox, to refer to the mouth)
"Ahorra saliva" (save your saliva)
"Deja de darle a la sin hueso" (stop using your boneless, where "boneless" refers to the tongue)
This doesn't qualify as a "popular" expression, but I remember a teacher who used to tell the girls who talked in his class: "callaros ya u os doy un beso" > "quiet now, or I'll kiss you". It used to work every time, so I guess they didn't find him too attractive.
How about these ones: ?
1. You can talk the hind leg off a donkey ... just Not Now !!! 
Please note: 'talking the hind leg off donkey' is a recognised English Idiom suggesting someone talks alot the other bit is my own idea! Lol
Can you hear that sound ?!!!( a psychological trick here)
Please stop talking before you wear out my ears!
Another idea might be simply for the teacher to have an equuivalent of a swear box but call it a chatterbox lol and people who talk have to donate a small amount of money which adds up and is given to a different charity each month
In Spanish you could say: quieto silencio hables por susurros (speak in whispers)
If you're trying to convey the idea of "you don't say!" (as in "I just passed my test." "Shut up! I did, too!) You could try: No me digas (you don't say) hablas serio (seriously?) Vaya con este! (get out of her!)
jaja. muchas gracias gekkosan. I had to do this assignment once before in September but he never handed me my paper back. Some of the entries that I remember are:
- Children are best seen not heard [hence title ]
- Please be quiet
- Silence yourself!
- Your loquaciousness is disrupting my thought train.
- Maybe you should see a doctor, I think you have diarrhea of the mouth.
- ¡y más!
jaja, I didn't really put the last one because I didn't know how to translate it all [any help???], it gave me a good laugh though.
In all honesty, this idea of this post wasn't to have y'all do my homework. I really do wanted to see what else y'all could conjure in those minds of yours.
~~¡Beautifleeblest!~~
Translations: - Los niños son los mejores cuando se ven, no escucha. - Cállate por favor. - ¡Silencio tú mismo! - Su loquacidad está interrumpiendo mi tren de pensamientos. - Cierra la boca, por favor. - Quizás usted necesita ver un médico, creo que tienes diarrea de la boca.
Wait a second, Gekkosan! Are you trying to use reverse physcology on me?? jaja. First you tell me to write my examples, then translate them...I'm starting to think that YOU are truly the sneaky [smart] cookie here, Gekkosan.
~~¡Beautifleeblest!~~
