Italian Expression · Intermediate
stare zitto/a
to be quiet / to shut up
Pronunciation: STA-re ZIT-to/a
Meaning
To stop talking or making noise; can be a polite request or an informal command.
Example
Per favore, stai zitto per un momento, devo concentrarmi.
Please, be quiet for a moment, I need to concentrate.
Common mistakes & tips
- Practice stare zitto/a out loud — read the pronunciation guide above and repeat.
- Use it in your own sentence today; reuse beats rereading.
- Pay attention to context: this is a intermediate-level Italian expression.