In German
die Schnauze halten
Meaning: to shut up (rude/blunt)
Formal or informal? Rude and blunt — “Schnauze” literally means an animal's snout, so using it for a person's mouth is deliberately coarse. Only use among close friends joking around, or when genuinely angry; never with strangers, elders, or in professional settings.
Example sentences
HaltdieSchnauze!
Shut up!
ErsollendlichdieSchnauzehalten.
He should finally shut up.
KannstdumaldieSchnauzehalten?
Can you shut up for once?
Common mistake
Don't use “die Schnauze halten” thinking it's just casual like “chillen” — it's genuinely rude, closer to a harsh “shut up” than a playful one, so tone and relationship matter a lot.
Quick check
Which rude expression means “shut up”?
More words on this topic
Keep learning German
Practise it in a lesson →Frequently asked questions
Why is “die Schnauze halten” rude?
“Schnauze” literally means an animal's snout — calling someone's mouth that is a deliberately coarse way of saying “shut up”.
Is there a more polite way to say “be quiet”?
Yes — “sei bitte leise” (please be quiet) or “könntest du ruhig sein?” are much more polite alternatives.