# Other languages' versions of "shhhh" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 23, 2011, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-languages-versions-of-shhhh/600584 "2011-10-23T23:10:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CheeseDonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecae2f/32.png) [@CheeseDonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheeseDonkey)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2011, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-languages-versions-of-shhhh/600584/1 "2011-10-23T23:10:58Z")
We say “shhh” when we want someone to be quiet and we spell it like, well, “shhh”. What are some other languages’ “shhh”-esque ways of telling others to silence themselves? ---
**Author:** ![Intelligently\_Designed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intelligently_designed/32/20957_2.png) [@Intelligently\_Designed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intelligently_Designed)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2011, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-languages-versions-of-shhhh/600584/2 "2011-10-23T23:18:20Z")
In French, “chut”, the final “t” being pronounced. You have [here](http://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/chut) a list of other languages. ---
**Author:** ![Loopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loopus/32/15343_2.png) [@Loopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopus)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2011, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-languages-versions-of-shhhh/600584/3 "2011-10-23T23:20:23Z")
Portuguese uses the same sound as English, but spelled “chhh.” ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-languages-versions-of-shhhh/600584/4 "2011-10-24T06:45:37Z")
In Spanish it’s _chis_, the verb is _chistar_ and the way it would be written in a comic book’s blurb can be _chis_, _chssss_ or _sssshhhhh_. The French wiki article linked above seems to have been trying for _chitón_, another variation but one that’s more forceful and used under different circumstances: you won’t hear it in a movie theater, rather from a mother who’s sick of her child’s whinning. You could think of _chis_ as being a request while _¡chitón!_ is an order. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-languages-versions-of-shhhh/600584/5 "2011-10-24T07:26:12Z")
Hebrew uses “Shhh”, as well as “Shoosh”, “Sha” and “Hass”. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-languages-versions-of-shhhh/600584/6 "2011-10-24T08:13:57Z")
In Swedish it’s schhh. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-languages-versions-of-shhhh/600584/7 "2011-10-24T08:42:51Z")
Norwegian has the verb “hysj” the same as English “hush”, but I’d probably spell the resulting hushing-sound as “shhhh”, since “sjjjjj” just looks daft. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-languages-versions-of-shhhh/600584/8 "2011-10-24T09:28:51Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > The French wiki article linked above seems to have been trying for _chitón_, another variation but one that’s more forceful and used under different circumstances: you won’t hear it in a movie theater, rather from a mother who’s sick of her child’s whinning. You could think of _chis_ as being a request while _¡chitón!_ is an order. Which makes me think that “chut” in French is more a word than an onomatopea like “shhh” in English. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-languages-versions-of-shhhh/600584/9 "2011-10-24T10:40:16Z")
In German it’s “pst”. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-languages-versions-of-shhhh/600584/10 "2011-10-24T11:14:27Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > In German it’s “pst”. Which in Sweden is used to get someone’s attention in a situation where you’re supposed to be silent. ---
**Author:** ![Hokkaido\_Brit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d26b3c/32.png) [@Hokkaido\_Brit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hokkaido_Brit)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-languages-versions-of-shhhh/600584/11 "2011-10-24T11:55:01Z")
In Japanese it’s “Shi” with a short, sharp sound at the end. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-languages-versions-of-shhhh/600584/12 "2011-10-24T14:00:14Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > In German it’s “pst”. > [@Floater](#): > > Which in Sweden is used to get someone’s attention in a situation where you’re supposed to be silent. That’s actually another common use of “pst” in German too. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-languages-versions-of-shhhh/600584/13 "2011-10-24T15:08:53Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > That’s actually another common use of “pst” in German too. And of _chis_ in Spanish, but it’s generally considered rude as well as not working very well. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-languages-versions-of-shhhh/600584/14 "2011-10-24T16:06:06Z")
I know I’ve heard repeated ch used before for this purpose. But I have no idea where it comes form. ---
**Author:** ![Svejk\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-languages-versions-of-shhhh/600584/15 "2011-10-24T16:07:57Z")
ssssst - in Dutch. That is: no /sh/ sound, although in practice people sometimes do pronounce a -sh- sound, but I’ve never seen it spelled to reflect that. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-languages-versions-of-shhhh/600584/16 "2011-10-24T16:08:26Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I know I’ve heard repeated ch used before for this purpose. But I have no idea where it comes form. The Dog Whisperer. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-languages-versions-of-shhhh/600584/17 "2011-10-24T16:10:59Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > The Dog Whisperer. Formerly the Dog Talk Slightly Too Louder, before the introduction of the ch ch ch sound. (What about ASL? Any particular sign to stop gesticulating so wildly?) ---
**Author:** ![grama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@grama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grama)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-languages-versions-of-shhhh/600584/18 "2011-10-24T19:16:08Z")
Nava where are you from? I’ve never heard, or used “chis” in my life, it’s always been “sshh” both spoken and written. ---
**Author:** ![Scathach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Scathach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scathach)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-languages-versions-of-shhhh/600584/19 "2011-10-24T20:11:46Z")
Roughly pronounced “Fwisht” or “Whisht” in Irish/Hiberno-English ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-languages-versions-of-shhhh/600584/20 "2011-10-25T06:36:57Z")
> [@grama](#): > > Nava where are you from? I’ve never heard, or used “chis” in my life, it’s always been “sshh” both spoken and written. Spain and 43 years old. I’ve been seeing chis replaced by sshh in print more and more often as time went on, which I attribute to American influence: in TBOs, Guerreros del Antifaz or Capitanes Trueno you’ll see chis (but first you have to find them, since by now any original edition counts as an antique), in translated Marvel comics (which appeared in Spain in the mid-70s) you see sh - and it eventually moved on to other forms of print. It’s a similar phenomenon as the move from _pum_ to bang (now where did I put my Mafaldas… there’s one about that, like there’s one for so many other things). As for voiced, sh is sort of an “I don’t want to be too evident” chis; people in a movie theater may react to some moron’s cellphone ringing with a low shhh, then the second time move to _chis_ or _ya vale_(1), the third time _a ver capullo, ¡si quieres poder hablar por teléfono alquila el deuvedé!_(2)… well, that was the actual sequence about three weeks ago… 1: enough 2: hey asshole, if you wanna be able to speak on the phone hire the dvd! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-languages-versions-of-shhhh/600584.md?page=2)