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calles

KAH-yes (or KAH-yays)/ˈka.ʎes/

“calles” means “streets” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

streets

Also: roads
NounfA1
Mexico
A colorful illustration showing a long, empty paved street lined with simple, stylized houses under a bright blue sky.

📝 In Action

Las calles de Madrid son muy bonitas.

A1

The streets of Madrid are very beautiful.

¿Dónde están las mejores calles para comprar ropa?

A2

Where are the best streets for buying clothes?

La policía patrullaba las calles desiertas en la noche.

B1

The police patrolled the deserted streets at night.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • vías (ways/routes)
  • avenidas (avenues)

Common Collocations

  • calles concurridas – busy streets
  • calles estrechas – narrow streets

Idioms & Expressions

  • quedarse en la calle – to become homeless or lose everything financially

(that you) be silent

Also: (that you) shut up
VerbB1regular ar
A simplified illustration of a face with a single index finger pressed vertically against the closed lips, indicating silence or shushing.
infinitivecallar
gerundcallando
past Participlecallado

📝 In Action

Espero que no calles la verdad por miedo.

B1

I hope you don't silence (keep quiet about) the truth out of fear.

Mi madre quiere que te calles mientras hablan los invitados.

B1

My mother wants you to be quiet while the guests are talking.

Si no calles ahora, perderemos el juego.

B2

If you don't keep quiet now, we will lose the game.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • silencies (you silence)
  • mutismos (silence/muteness)

Antonyms

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedcalla
yocallo
túcallas
ellos/ellas/ustedescallan
nosotroscallamos
vosotroscalláis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedcallaba
yocallaba
túcallabas
ellos/ellas/ustedescallaban
nosotroscallábamos
vosotroscallabais

preterite

él/ella/ustedcalló
yocallé
túcallaste
ellos/ellas/ustedescallaron
nosotroscallamos
vosotroscallasteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedcalle
yocalle
túcalles
ellos/ellas/ustedescallen
nosotroscallemos
vosotroscalléis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedcallara/callase
yocallara/callase
túcallaras/callases
ellos/ellas/ustedescallaran/callasen
nosotroscalláramos/callásemos
vosotroscallarais/callaseis
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "calles" in Spanish:

roads→streets→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: calles

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'calles' as the plural of 'street'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
salesmales
📚 Etymology▼

The noun 'calles' comes from the singular 'calle', which originated from the Latin word *callis*, meaning 'a narrow path' or 'track'. The verb form 'calles' comes from the infinitive 'callar', which ultimately comes from the Latin verb *callāre*, meaning 'to be silent'.

First recorded: Medieval Latin

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: calle (archaic)

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if 'calles' means 'streets' or 'you be quiet'?

You can tell by the words surrounding it! If it uses 'las' or 'unas' before it (e.g., 'las calles'), it's the noun 'streets'. If it appears after a phrase like 'espero que...' (I hope that...) or 'no' in a command, it's the verb form 'you be quiet'.