How to Say "to hush" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “to hush” is “callar” — B1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
El presentador calló a la audiencia con un gesto.
The host silenced the audience with a gesture.
Prometió callar la verdad para proteger a su familia.
He promised to keep quiet about the truth to protect his family.
Intentó callar mis argumentos, pero no pudo.
He tried to silence my arguments, but he couldn't.
Transitive Use
In this meaning, 'callar' needs a direct object—it acts upon something else (a person, a group, or a piece of information).
Mixing up the meanings
Mistake: “El secreto se calló (The secret silenced itself).”
Correction: El secreto fue callado (The secret was kept quiet/silenced). Use the passive voice or a different verb like 'ocultar' (to hide).
Related Translations
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