With thousands of characters to memorize and multiple writing systems, Japanese is usually considered one of the most complicated languages for Westerners to learn. Fortunately, it is not very difficult to ask a Japanese to be quiet! Expressions to make such a request take a few minutes to memorize and efficiently convey the message. In any case, it is important to use them with extreme caution to avoid making missteps.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Unfriendly expressions
The expressions shown in this section should only be used with close friends and family. Asking a stranger or authority to be quiet is a real insult to etiquette.
Step 1. Damage it is a simple, useful and versatile expression to invite someone to shut up in everyday life. Hear the pronunciation here. The "r", similar to the Spanish one, is pronounced lightly and quickly, by tapping the palate with the tongue.
- The ideograms used to write this sentence are the following: 黙 れ.
- If you want to make a good impression, try to roll up the final "r". This sound can be used in Japanese to convey a certain emotion or to emphasize a word. It resembles the typical "r" of Spanish.
Step 2. If you take an authoritative position (as in the case of a boss or a policeman), use the word damarinasai
Hear the pronunciation here. Basically it means "Silence!".
It is written like this: 黙 り な さ い.
Step 3. Yakamashī it is not quite a polite expression to tell someone that they are making too much noise. It literally means "noisy". It allows you to implicitly invite a person to be silent. You can hear the pronunciation here. The final "ī" is a long vowel, so it should be pronounced as if it were a double "i".
It is written like this: や か ま し い.
Step 4. Alternatively, use the expression urusai, the meaning of which is very similar to that of yakamashī
Hear the pronunciation here. Remember that in Japanese you don't have to stick your lips forward to pronounce "u".
- It is written like this: う る さ い.
- The "r" should be pronounced lightly and quickly by briefly hitting the tongue on the palate.
Step 5. If you are angry, use the expression shizuka ni shiro yo!. This is an abrupt and rude phrase to invite someone to shut up. This is useful in case you have already politely asked a person to be quiet without getting any results. Hear the pronunciation here. Again remember that the "u" is emitted without pouting the lips forward.
It is written like this: 静 か に 白 よ.
Step 6. Add the word yarou at the end to emphasize the anger or disdain you feel
The Japanese language does not have real swear words, but it does have insults that can be added to sentences to express the annoyance that is felt in certain situations. Yarou is one of them and means "cursed" or "unpleasant person". Hear the pronunciation here.
- How to use it? Add it to adjectives like urusai or yakamashī. For example, urusai yarou basically means "shut up loud damn".
- It is written like this: 野 郎.
Method 2 of 2: More Educated Options
The expressions shown in this section may be used outside of your own circle of friends and family. However, if used in a superior tone, they can still be considered rude, so try to be careful how you say them.
Step 1. Use the phrase shizukani to invite someone to be silent
It's a standard, neutral expression for asking someone to shut up, without any aggressive connotations. For example, it is used by teachers to address their pupils. Hear the pronunciation here. You do not have to emphasize the last "i" (as is the case in the word yakamashī), as it is not a long vowel.
- It is written like this: 静 か に.
- This phrase can still be considered aggressive and rude by a stranger, so if you want to be particularly nice, you should opt for the following expression.
Step 2. To kindly invite someone to be quiet, use the expression shizukani shite kudasai
This is one of the most polite phrases ever to ask someone to be silent. For example, it's perfect for silencing people who make noise in the cinema. Hear the pronunciation here. Once again remember that the "u" must be emitted without pouting the lips forward.
- It is written like this: 静 か に し て く だ さ い.
- The word kudasai means "please" in Japanese and is used extensively in everyday life.
Step 3. When you get the desired result, respond by saying arigatō
If you politely ask someone to be silent and the person in question stops bothering you, don't forget to thank! Arigatō means "thank you". Hear the pronunciation here. As explained earlier, the "r" (which is a delicate sound) is emitted by lightly hitting the palate with the tongue. Also, remember that the final "o" is an elongated vowel (just like the "ī" of yakamashī).
- It is written like this: あ り が と う.
- To say "thank you very much", use the expression arigatō gozaimasu. Hear the pronunciation here. Remember that the final "u" is not pronounced. It is written like this: あ り が と う ご ざ い ま す ".
Advice
- Japanese society is conservative in several respects. Education and etiquette are considered very important in daily life. Pay attention to how you use the less polite sentences in this article. It would be a real scandal to tell an acquaintance or a stranger to "shut up".
- To the words urusai and yakamashī you can add another indecent suffix, namely me, which makes the sentence a little more contemptuous and disrespectful than normal.
