Spanish Conversation · Level 57
74 words
Spanish word
mudo
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈmuðo/
Meaning
- adjectivemute
Example
El niño es mudo desde que nació.
The child has been mute from birth.
More examples
Se quedó mudo ante la pregunta inesperada.
He was left speechless by the unexpected question.
Core concept
Person unable to produce spoken sounds.
Common phrases
mudo de nacimiento
congenitally mute
quedarse mudo
be left speechless
ponerse mudo
fall silent
Similar words
callado: Quiet and not speaking unless prompted.
silencioso: Practically silent, with very little background noise or speech.
afónico: Lacking voice from throat injury or strain, usually temporary.
Definition in Spanish
Describe a quien no puede expresarse por medio de la voz.
Word origin
From Latin mutus 'silent', mudo develops in Spanish to label someone lacking the use of their voice.
Usage tips
- The idiom quedarse mudo uses mudo figuratively to mean become speechless and does not imply permanent inability to speak.
Other meanings
- mute personnoun
Opposites
- hablantespeakernoun
Related words
- mudezmutismnoun
- enmudecergo silentverb