English–Japanese
“be quiet” in Japanese
Japanese
Pronunciation
Romajidamaru
Example
先生が話すときは黙ります。sen sei ga hana su to ki wa dama ri ma su
I keep quiet when the teacher speaks.
How to say “be quiet” in Japanese
“Be quiet” in Japanese is 黙る (damaru). 黙る can also mean “keep quiet”.
It centers on the shift from speaking to silence, whether the silence is voluntary or follows a request.
Example sentences with 黙る
授業中は黙ります。ju gyō chū wa dama ri ma su
We are quiet during class.
緊張すると、何も言わずに黙ります。kin chō su ru to nan mo i wa zu ni dama ri ma su
When I get nervous, I keep quiet without saying anything.
Tips for using 黙る
- The command 黙って (damatte) is a direct and often blunt request for silence, so it can sound stronger than the neutral English phrase "keep quiet".