silencio
“silencio” means “silence” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
silence
Also: quiet
📝 In Action
Me gusta el silencio de la mañana.
A2I like the silence of the morning.
Hubo un silencio incómodo después de su comentario.
B1There was an awkward silence after his comment.
El profesor pidió silencio a los estudiantes.
B1The teacher asked the students for silence.
Silence!
Also: Quiet!, Hush!
📝 In Action
¡Silencio, por favor! La película va a empezar.
A1Quiet, please! The movie is about to start.
—Mamá, mamá... —¡Silencio! Estoy en una llamada.
A2—Mom, Mom... —Hush! I'm on a call.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: silencio
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly describes a quiet place?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes directly from the Latin word 'silentium', which also meant 'silence' or 'stillness'. It's related to the Latin verb 'silēre', which meant 'to be silent'.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'silencio' and 'callado'?
'Silencio' is a noun that describes a state of quietness in a place (like 'el silencio de la noche' - 'the silence of the night'). 'Callado' is an adjective that describes a person who is being quiet ('él está callado' - 'he is quiet'). So, a place has 'silencio', and a person is 'callado'.
Is saying '¡Silencio!' rude?
It can be, depending on your tone and the situation. It's a direct command. To a noisy classroom, it's normal. To a friend, it might sound a bit harsh. Adding 'por favor' ('¡Silencio, por favor!') makes it much more polite.