to be quiet, to shut up
hablamos regular endingpienso stem changetengo irregularbusqué spelling change
Presente · What happens now or habitually
Me callo cuando habla mi abuela.
I go quiet when my grandmother speaks.
Pretérito · A completed action in the past
Todos se callaron cuando entró.
Everyone went quiet when he walked in.
Imperfecto · Ongoing or habitual past; "used to"
Mi hermano nunca se callaba.
My brother never shut up.
Futuro · What will happen
Te callarás cuando veas esto.
You'll go quiet when you see this.
Condicional · What would happen
Yo me callaría.
I'd keep quiet.
Pretérito perfecto · Has/have done
Por fin se han callado los niños.
The kids have finally quieted down.
Pluscuamperfecto · Had done
Ya se había callado.
He had already gone quiet.
Futuro perfecto · Will have done
Rarely used with this verb.
Condicional perfecto · Would have done
Yo me habría callado.
I would have kept quiet.
Presente de subjuntivo · Wishes, doubts, emotions about the present or future
Quiero que te calles.
I want you to be quiet.
Imperfecto de subjuntivo (-ra) · Hypotheticals and past wishes; the common form
Le rogué que se callara.
I begged him to be quiet.
Imperfecto de subjuntivo (-se) · Same meaning as -ra; more literary
Pedí que se callasen.
I asked them to be quiet.
Pretérito perfecto de subjuntivo · Subjunctive for something that has happened
Me sorprende que se haya callado.
I'm surprised he has gone quiet.
Pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo · Contrary-to-fact past: "if I had..."
Si me hubiera callado, no habría problemas.
If I had kept quiet, there wouldn't be any problems.
Imperativo afirmativo · Commands: do it!
Cállate, por favor.
Be quiet, please.
Imperativo negativo · Commands: don't do it!
Rarely used with this verb.