callar
intransitive verb
1 (dejar de hablar) to be quiet
¡calla, que no puedo oír la radio! be o keep quiet, I can't hear the radio!; shut up o hush up, I can't hear the radio! (familiar); (EEUU) su madre le mandó callar his mother ordered him to be quiet; his mother told him to shut up; —Ernesto se casa —¡calla! ¡eso no puede ser! "Ernesto is getting married" — "you're joking! that can't be true!"
transitive verb
1 (hacer callar)
calló a los niños con un cuento he got the children to be o keep quiet by reading them a story; reparten dinero para callar las protestas they're giving out money to silence o quell complaints; ¡calla o cállate la boca! shut your mouth! (muy_familiar); shut your face! (muy_familiar)
