Learning a new language involves more than just polite phrases. Sometimes, you need to know how to express frustration or ask for silence. In French, there are various ways to say “shut up,” depending on the situation and how formal or casual you want to be.
While it’s essential to be polite, understanding these expressions can be helpful in real-life conversations. In this article, you’ll learn how to say “shut up” in French, discover alternative phrases, practice responses, and try exercises to build your French vocabulary.
Ways to Say “Shut Up” in French
In French, different phrases can be used to say “shut up,” ranging from polite requests to strong commands. Below are some common ways:
1. Tais-toi
Pronunciation: teh-twah
Meaning: Be quiet (informal).
In a Sentence:
- Tais-toi, s’il te plaît. (Be quiet, please.)
- Tais-toi, j’essaie de lire. (Be quiet, I’m trying to read.)
2. Taisez-vous
Pronunciation: teh-zay-voo
Meaning: Be quiet (formal/plural).
In a Sentence:
- Taisez-vous pendant la réunion. (Be quiet during the meeting.)
- Taisez-vous, les enfants! (Be quiet, kids!)
3. Ferme-la
Pronunciation: fehrm-lah
Meaning: Shut up (rude/informal).
In a Sentence:
- Ferme-la, j’en ai marre! (Shut up, I’m fed up!)
- Ferme-la, tu parles trop. (Shut up, you talk too much.)
4. La ferme
Pronunciation: lah fehrm
Meaning: Shut up (very rude/informal).
In a Sentence:
- La ferme! Je ne veux plus entendre ça! (Shut up! I don’t want to hear that anymore!)
- La ferme, on essaie de dormir! (Shut up, we’re trying to sleep!)
5. Silence!
Pronunciation: see-lahns
Meaning: Silence! (Formal or commanding tone).
In a Sentence:
- Silence! L’examen commence. (Silence! The exam is starting.)
- Silence dans la classe! (Silence in the classroom!)
6. Calme-toi
Pronunciation: kahlm-twah
Meaning: Calm down (less aggressive).
In a Sentence:
- Calme-toi et écoute-moi. (Calm down and listen to me.)
- Calme-toi, tout ira bien. (Calm down, everything will be fine.)
7. Arrête de parler
Pronunciation: ah-reht duh par-lay
Meaning: Stop talking.
In a Sentence:
- Arrête de parler, on est en retard! (Stop talking, we’re late!)
- Arrête de parler et écoute ce qu’il dit. (Stop talking and listen to what he’s saying.)
8. Ferme ta bouche
Pronunciation: fehrm tah boosh
Meaning: Shut your mouth (very rude).
In a Sentence:
- Ferme ta bouche, c’est assez! (Shut your mouth, that’s enough!)
- Ferme ta bouche et écoute-moi! (Shut your mouth and listen to me!)
9. Ta gueule
Pronunciation: tah guhl
Meaning: Shut up (extremely rude, slang).
In a Sentence:
- Ta gueule! Je suis fatigué de tes mensonges! (Shut up! I’m tired of your lies!)
- Ta gueule, ça suffit! (Shut up, that’s enough!)
10. On se tait!
Pronunciation: on suh teh
Meaning: We keep quiet!
In a Sentence:
- On se tait et on écoute! (We keep quiet and listen!)
- On se tait maintenant! (We keep quiet now!)
11. Chut!
Pronunciation: shh
Meaning: Hush! (Soft command).
In a Sentence:
- Chut! Le bébé dort. (Hush! The baby is sleeping.)
- Chut! On est au cinéma. (Hush! We are at the movies.)
12. Cesse de parler
Pronunciation: sess duh par-lay
Meaning: Stop talking (formal).
In a Sentence:
- Cesse de parler et écoute. (Stop talking and listen.)
- Cesse de parler, il est tard. (Stop talking, it’s late.)
13. Tais-toi, fille!
Pronunciation: teh-twah fee-yuh
Meaning: Be quiet, girl! (Informal).
In a Sentence:
- Tais-toi, fille! Je suis occupé. (Be quiet, girl! I’m busy.)
- Tais-toi, fille, c’est l’heure du dîner. (Be quiet, girl, it’s dinner time.)
14. Ferme-la, mec!
Pronunciation: fehrm-lah mek
Meaning: Shut up, dude! (Informal/slang).
In a Sentence:
- Ferme-la, mec! Je suis sérieux. (Shut up, dude! I’m serious.)
- Ferme-la, mec, je ne plaisante pas. (Shut up, dude, I’m not joking.)
15. Arrête tes bêtises!
Pronunciation: ah-reht teh beh-teez
Meaning: Stop your nonsense!
In a Sentence:
- Arrête tes bêtises, tu es ridicule! (Stop your nonsense, you’re being ridiculous!)
- Arrête tes bêtises et concentre-toi! (Stop your nonsense and focus!)
16. Fermez-la!
Pronunciation: fehr-may-lah
Meaning: Shut up! (Formal/plural).
In a Sentence:
- Fermez-la! On essaie de travailler ici! (Shut up! We’re trying to work here!)
- Fermez-la et écoutez l’annonce! (Shut up and listen to the announcement!)
17. On arrête de parler!
Pronunciation: on ah-reht duh par-lay
Meaning: We stop talking!
In a Sentence:
- On arrête de parler et on se concentre! (We stop talking and focus!)
- On arrête de parler maintenant! (We stop talking now!)
18. Ferme ton clapet
Pronunciation: fehrm ton klah-peh
Meaning: Shut your trap (slang/informal).
In a Sentence:
- Ferme ton clapet et écoute! (Shut your trap and listen!)
- Ferme ton clapet, c’est sérieux! (Shut your trap, it’s serious!)
19. Arrête de jacasser!
Pronunciation: ah-reht duh zhah-kah-say
Meaning: Stop jabbering!
In a Sentence:
- Arrête de jacasser et travaille! (Stop jabbering and work!)
- Arrête de jacasser, je n’en peux plus! (Stop jabbering, I can’t take it anymore!)
20. Boucle-la!
Pronunciation: book-luh-lah
Meaning: Zip it! (Very informal).
In a Sentence:
- Boucle-la, je veux du calme. (Zip it, I want some peace.)
- Boucle-la et écoute ce que je dis! (Zip it and listen to what I’m saying!)
21. On la ferme!
Pronunciation: on lah fehrm
Meaning: We shut up! (Group setting).
In a Sentence:
- On la ferme et on écoute le prof! (We shut up and listen to the teacher!)
- On la ferme avant que quelqu’un se fâche! (We shut up before someone gets mad!)
22. Arrête de crier!
Pronunciation: ah-reht duh kree-ay
Meaning: Stop yelling!
In a Sentence:
- Arrête de crier, je t’entends très bien! (Stop yelling, I can hear you perfectly!)
- Arrête de crier et parle doucement! (Stop yelling and speak softly!)
23. Taisez-vous immédiatement!
Pronunciation: teh-zay-voo ee-meh-dyah-tuh-mahn
Meaning: Be quiet immediately! (Formal/command).
In a Sentence:
- Taisez-vous immédiatement ou vous serez puni! (Be quiet immediately or you’ll be punished!)
- Taisez-vous immédiatement, la réunion commence! (Be quiet immediately, the meeting is starting!)
24. Un peu de silence, s’il vous plaît!
Pronunciation: uh puh duh see-lahns, seel voo pleh
Meaning: A little silence, please!
In a Sentence:
- Un peu de silence, s’il vous plaît, nous travaillons. (A little silence, please, we’re working.)
- Un peu de silence, s’il vous plaît, c’est un endroit public. (A little silence, please, it’s a public place.)
25. Ça suffit!
Pronunciation: sah soo-fee
Meaning: That’s enough! (Firm/command).
In a Sentence:
- Ça suffit! Arrête de parler maintenant! (That’s enough! Stop talking now!)
- Ça suffit, les enfants! Calmez-vous! (That’s enough, kids! Calm down!)
Other Ways to Say “Shut Up” in French
Here is a table with alternative phrases to say “shut up” in French, including pronunciations, meanings, and example sentences.
| Other Ways to Say | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentences |
| Tais-toi donc | teh-twah dong | Be quiet already | Tais-toi donc et laisse-moi finir! (Be quiet already and let me finish!) |
| Calme-toi un peu | kahlm-twah uh puh | Calm down a bit | Calme-toi un peu, ce n’est pas grave. (Calm down a bit, it’s not serious.) |
| Ferme ton bec | fehrm ton behk | Shut your beak (slang) | Ferme ton bec et écoute-moi! (Shut your beak and listen to me!) |
| Taisez-vous, s’il vous plaît | teh-zay-voo, seel voo pleh | Be quiet, please | Taisez-vous, s’il vous plaît, je parle! (Be quiet, please, I’m talking!) |
| Arrête de te plaindre | ah-reht duh tuh plahndr | Stop complaining | Arrête de te plaindre et fais-le! (Stop complaining and do it!) |
| Sois tranquille | swah trahn-keel | Be quiet (calm) | Sois tranquille et repose-toi. (Be quiet and rest.) |
| On se calme | on suh kahlm | Let’s calm down | On se calme avant de partir. (Let’s calm down before leaving.) |
| Stoppe ça | stohp sah | Stop that | Stoppe ça tout de suite! (Stop that right now!) |
| Assez de bruit! | ah-say duh brwee | Enough noise! | Assez de bruit, les enfants! (Enough noise, kids!) |
| Mettez-la en veilleuse | meh-teh-lah ahn vay-yeuhz | Put a lid on it | Mettez-la en veilleuse, on discute ici. (Put a lid on it, we’re talking here.) |
| Ferme ta grande bouche | fehrm tah grahnd boosh | Shut your big mouth | Ferme ta grande bouche, c’est impoli! (Shut your big mouth, it’s rude!) |
| Arrête de râler | ah-reht duh rah-lay | Stop whining | Arrête de râler et aide-moi! (Stop whining and help me!) |
| Boucle-la, s’il te plaît | book-luh-lah, seel tuh pleh | Zip it, please | Boucle-la, s’il te plaît, je travaille! (Zip it, please, I’m working!) |
| Du calme, s’il vous plaît | due kahlm, seel voo pleh | Calm down, please | Du calme, s’il vous plaît, restez assis. (Calm down, please, stay seated.) |
| Finis tes histoires! | fee-nee tehz ees-twahr | Quit your stories (nonsense) | Finis tes histoires, personne ne te croit! (Quit your stories, nobody believes you!) |
Responses to “Shut Up” in French
Here are some common ways to respond when someone tells you to “shut up” in French. These responses can be polite, defensive, or humorous, depending on the situation.
1. Désolé(e), je me tais.
Pronunciation: day-zoh-lay, juh muh teh
Meaning: Sorry, I’ll be quiet.
In a Sentence:
- Désolé(e), je me tais maintenant. (Sorry, I’ll be quiet now.)
- Désolé(e), je ne voulais pas interrompre. (Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt.)
2. D’accord, j’arrête.
Pronunciation: dah-kohr, zhah-reht
Meaning: Okay, I’ll stop.
In a Sentence:
- D’accord, j’arrête de parler. (Okay, I’ll stop talking.)
- D’accord, je me calme. (Okay, I’ll calm down.)
3. Mais pourquoi?
Pronunciation: meh poor-kwah
Meaning: But why?
In a Sentence:
- Mais pourquoi tu dis ça? (But why are you saying that?)
- Mais pourquoi dois-je me taire? (But why do I have to be quiet?)
4. Je dis ce que je veux!
Pronunciation: juh dee suh kuh juh vuh
Meaning: I say what I want!
In a Sentence:
- Je dis ce que je veux, ce n’est pas ton affaire! (I say what I want, it’s none of your business!)
- Je dis ce que je veux, on est dans un pays libre! (I say what I want, we’re in a free country!)
5. C’est bon, calme-toi!
Pronunciation: say bohn, kahlm-twah
Meaning: It’s okay, calm down!
In a Sentence:
- C’est bon, calme-toi! Je plaisantais! (It’s okay, calm down! I was joking!)
- C’est bon, pas besoin de crier! (It’s okay, no need to yell!)
6. Je ne voulais pas être impoli(e).
Pronunciation: juh nuh voo-lay pah e-truh ahn-po-lee
Meaning: I didn’t mean to be rude.
In a Sentence:
- Je ne voulais pas être impoli(e), pardon. (I didn’t mean to be rude, sorry.)
- Désolé(e), je ne voulais pas être impoli(e). (Sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude.)
7. Tu n’as pas à me parler comme ça!
Pronunciation: tew nah pah ah muh par-lay kohm sah
Meaning: You don’t have to talk to me like that!
In a Sentence:
- Tu n’as pas à me parler comme ça! C’est irrespectueux! (You don’t have to talk to me like that! It’s disrespectful!)
- Tu n’as pas à me parler comme ça, je suis calme. (You don’t have to talk to me like that, I’m calm.)
8. Très drôle!
Pronunciation: tray drohl
Meaning: Very funny! (Sarcastic)
In a Sentence:
- Très drôle! Tu crois que ça m’arrête? (Very funny! You think that’ll stop me?)
- Très drôle! On verra bien! (Very funny! We’ll see about that!)
9. Je fais ce que je veux!
Pronunciation: juh feh suh kuh juh vuh
Meaning: I do what I want!
In a Sentence:
- Je fais ce que je veux, laisse-moi tranquille! (I do what I want, leave me alone!)
- Je fais ce que je veux, arrête de me dire quoi faire! (I do what I want, stop telling me what to do!)
10. Pas besoin d’être méchant(e)!
Pronunciation: pah buh-zwah dehtr may-shah(nt)
Meaning: No need to be mean!
In a Sentence:
- Pas besoin d’être méchant(e), je t’écoute. (No need to be mean, I’m listening.)
- Pas besoin d’être méchant(e), on peut parler calmement. (No need to be mean, we can talk calmly.)
11. C’est bon, j’ai compris!
Pronunciation: say bohn, zhay kohm-pree
Meaning: Alright, I got it!
In a Sentence:
- C’est bon, j’ai compris, pas besoin de crier! (Alright, I got it, no need to yell!)
- C’est bon, j’ai compris, je me tais. (Alright, I got it, I’ll be quiet.)
12. Je m’excuse.
Pronunciation: juh mehk-skewz
Meaning: I’m sorry.
In a Sentence:
- Je m’excuse, je ne voulais pas te déranger. (I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bother you.)
- Je m’excuse, je n’avais pas réalisé que tu travaillais. (I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were working.)
13. Détends-toi!
Pronunciation: deh-tahn-twah
Meaning: Relax!
In a Sentence:
- Détends-toi! Ce n’est pas si grave. (Relax! It’s not that serious.)
- Détends-toi, on peut en parler plus tard. (Relax, we can talk about it later.)
14. Je ne voulais pas te vexer.
Pronunciation: juh nuh voo-lay pah tuh vek-say
Meaning: I didn’t mean to offend you.
In a Sentence:
- Je ne voulais pas te vexer, excuse-moi. (I didn’t mean to offend you, sorry.)
- Je suis désolé, je ne voulais pas te vexer. (I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you.)
15. Ce n’est pas nécessaire d’être comme ça!
Pronunciation: suh neh pah neh-say-sair dehtr kohm sah
Meaning: No need to be like that!
In a Sentence:
- Ce n’est pas nécessaire d’être comme ça, je voulais juste parler. (No need to be like that, I just wanted to talk.)
- Pas nécessaire d’être comme ça, on peut être gentils. (No need to be like that, we can be nice.)
Exercise to Practice Saying “Shut Up” in French
Complete the following fill-in-the-blanks using the correct phrases for “shut up” in French. The entire sentence is in French, followed by its English meaning.
Fill-in-the-Blanks:
- ________, je travaille sur mon projet important! (Be quiet, I’m working on my important project!)
- Les enfants, ________! C’est l’heure de dormir. (Kids, be quiet! It’s time to sleep.)
- ________ et écoute-moi attentivement. (Shut up and listen to me carefully.)
- ________! Nous sommes au cinéma, restez calmes. (Silence! We are at the movies, stay quiet.)
- Arrête de parler et ________! (Stop talking and be quiet!)
- ________, tu es trop bruyant! (Shut up, you’re too noisy!)
- ________, s’il vous plaît! On essaie de se concentrer. (Be quiet, please! We are trying to concentrate.)
- ________, on doit respecter les autres dans le parc. (Hush, we must respect others in the park.)
- ________, c’est impoli de parler si fort! (Shut up, it’s rude to speak so loudly!)
- ________, tu m’énerves vraiment! (Shut up, you’re really annoying me!)
- On se calme et ________ immédiatement! (Let’s calm down and be quiet immediately!)
- ________, j’en ai assez de tes histoires! (Shut up, I’m tired of your stories!)
Answers:
- Tais-toi, je travaille sur mon projet important! (Be quiet, I’m working on my important project!)
- Taisez-vous, les enfants! C’est l’heure de dormir. (Kids, be quiet! It’s time to sleep.)
- Ferme-la et écoute-moi attentivement. (Shut up and listen to me carefully.)
- Silence! Nous sommes au cinéma, restez calmes. (Silence! We are at the movies, stay quiet.)
- Arrête de parler et tais-toi! (Stop talking and be quiet!)
- La ferme, tu es trop bruyant! (Shut up, you’re too noisy!)
- Taisez-vous, s’il vous plaît! On essaie de se concentrer. (Be quiet, please! We are trying to concentrate.)
- Chut, on doit respecter les autres dans le parc. (Hush, we must respect others in the park.)
- Ferme ta bouche, c’est impoli de parler si fort! (Shut up, it’s rude to speak so loudly!)
- Ta gueule, tu m’énerves vraiment! (Shut up, you’re really annoying me!)
- On se calme et on se tait immédiatement! (Let’s calm down and be quiet immediately!)
- Ferme-la, j’en ai assez de tes histoires! (Shut up, I’m tired of your stories!)
Conclusion
Learning how to say “shut up” in French can be useful in real-life conversations, especially when you need to ask for silence or express frustration. From polite phrases like “Tais-toi” to stronger commands like “La ferme”, each expression fits different contexts.
Remember, some of these phrases are quite rude, so use them carefully. Practicing with real-life examples and exercises will help you choose the right expression depending on the situation. The more you practice, the more confident you’ll be when speaking French!