callar

to keep quiet

callar(kah-yahr)

intransitive verb

1. (to say nothing)

a. to keep quiet

Mejor callar y esperar que no se repita.

We'd better keep quiet and hope it doesn't happen again.

2. (to stop talking or making noise)

a. to be quiet

Calla y déjame pensar.

Be quiet and let me think.

b. to shut up

(colloquial)

¡Calla! Ya has dicho suficiente.

Shut up! You've already said enough.

transitive verb

3. (to silence)

(Latin America)

a. to keep quiet

Mece al bebé para callarlo.

Rock the baby to keep him quiet.

4. (to not tell)

a. to keep quiet about

Callaron lo ocurrido por miedo a las represalias.

They kept quiet about what happened for fear of retaliation.

b. to keep to oneself

No calles tus preocupaciones. Estamos aquí para ayudar.

Don't keep your worries to yourself. We're here to help.

callarse

pronominal verb

5. (to stop talking or making noise)

a. to be quiet

¿Puedes callarte un rato? Necesito descansar.

Can you be quiet for a while? I need some rest.

b. to shut up

¡Cállate de una vez! ¡Me estás dando dolor de cabeza!

Shut up once and for all! You're giving me a headache!

6. (to say nothing)

a. to keep quiet

Prefiero callarme antes de decir algo de lo que me podría arrepentir.

I'd rather keep quiet than say something I'm going to regret.

callar

intransitive verb

1. (no hablar)

a. to keep quiet, to be silent

quien calla otorgasilence signifies consent

2. (dejar de hablar)

a. to be quiet, to stop talking

hacer callar a alguiento silence somebody

mandar callar a alguiento 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. (ocultar)

a. to keep quiet about

4. (acallar)

a. to silence

pronominal verb

5. (no hablar)

a. to keep quiet, to be silent

6. (dejar de hablar)

a. to be quiet, to stop talking

¡cállate!shut up!

¿te quieres callar?would you keep quiet?

7. (ocultar)

a. to keep quiet about

esa no se calla nadashe always says what she thinks

Copyright © 2006 Harrap Publishers Limited

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!"

2 (no hablar) to say nothing; keep quiet

al principio optó por callar initially he decided to say nothing o keep quiet

quien calla, otorga silence is o gives o implies consent

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)

2 (ocultar) to keep to o.s.; keep quiet

será mejor callar este asunto it's best to keep this matter to ourselves o keep this matter quiet

no calles tus miedos/tus dudas los hombres callaron el llanto

pronominal verb

callarse

1 (dejar de hablar) to stop talking; go quiet

al entrar el profesor todos se callaron when the teacher came in, everyone stopped talking o went quiet; ¡cállense, por favor! please be quiet!; si empieza a hablar, ya no se calla once he starts talking, he doesn't stop

2 (no decir nada) to say nothing; keep quiet

en esas circunstancias es mejor callarse in those circumstances, it would be best to say nothing o keep quiet