cálmese
“cálmese” means “Calm down” in Spanish (formal singular command).
Calm down
Also: Take it easy, Relax
📝 In Action
Señora López, por favor, cálmese. No hay necesidad de gritar.
A2Mrs. López, please, calm down. There is no need to shout.
Cálmese un momento y piense antes de tomar una decisión.
B1Calm yourself for a moment and think before making a decision.
Si el niño no para de llorar, dígale: 'Cálmese, todo está bien'.
B2If the child doesn't stop crying, tell him: 'Calm down, everything is fine.'
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: cálmese
Question 1 of 2
If you are talking to your close friend María, which command should you use?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The verb *calmar* comes from the Late Latin *calmare*, meaning 'to rest' or 'to cease activity.' The 'se' is the reflexive pronoun, indicating the action is directed back to the speaker.
First recorded: Medieval Spanish (as *calmar*)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'cálmese' have an accent mark?
The accent mark is necessary because when you attach the pronoun 'se' to the end of the command form ('calme'), the natural stress of the word would shift. The accent mark on the 'á' forces the stress to stay on the original syllable, keeping the pronunciation correct.
How do I make the negative command (Don't calm down)?
For negative commands, the pronoun moves *before* the verb and the verb changes slightly. The formal negative command is 'No se calme'.