Cette page dans ta langue

English

فارسی

العربية

Deutsch

Español

日本語

한국어

Português

中文

हिन्दी

A2 adjective #8,500 le plus courant 10 min de lecture

mudo

Top 8,500

Entraîne-toi Exemples Notes et astuces mudo en 30 secondes

Explication mudo in your Level:

At the A1 level, you learn 'mudo' as a basic adjective to describe people or things. You might learn it when talking about the alphabet—specifically that the letter 'h' is 'muda' (silent). You also learn it as a simple physical description: 'El hombre es mudo'. The focus is on the literal meaning: not speaking. You will practice matching the gender (mudo/muda) with nouns. It's a useful word to know for basic descriptions of characters in stories or for understanding why you don't pronounce the 'h' in 'hola'.

Inscris-toi gratuitement pour lire l'explication complète

At the A2 level, you begin to use 'mudo' with verbs of change like 'quedarse'. You learn the common expression 'quedarse mudo', which means to become speechless. This is very common in daily conversation to describe being surprised or shocked. You also learn about 'cine mudo' (silent cinema) when discussing hobbies or history. You start to see that 'mudo' isn't just a permanent state, but can be a temporary reaction to something unexpected. You should be able to use it in sentences like 'Me quedé mudo de la sorpresa'.

At the B1 level, you explore the metaphorical uses of 'mudo'. You might encounter phrases like 'testigo mudo' (silent witness) in news stories or literature. You also learn to distinguish 'mudo' from similar words like 'callado' (quiet) or 'silencioso' (silent). You understand that 'mudo' is more intense and often implies a loss of the ability to speak. You will use it in more complex sentence structures, such as 'Si yo viera un fantasma, me quedaría mudo'. You also start to recognize it in the context of social issues, referring to those who have no 'voice' in society.

Inscris-toi gratuitement pour lire l'explication complète

At the B2 level, you use 'mudo' in more sophisticated ways, including abstract and poetic contexts. You might read literature where 'mudo' is used to describe a landscape or an era. You understand the nuances of using 'mudo' versus 'afónico' (having lost one's voice due to illness). You can discuss the evolution of 'cine mudo' and its impact on culture using technical vocabulary. You are comfortable with idioms like 'mudo de asombro' or 'hacerse el mudo' (to pretend not to know/speak). Your usage becomes more precise and stylistically varied.

Inscris-toi gratuitement pour lire l'explication complète

At the C1 level, you appreciate the deep etymological and literary weight of 'mudo'. You can analyze how authors use the concept of 'mutismo' to convey themes of oppression or internal struggle. You understand very specific collocations like 'grito mudo' or 'dolor mudo'. You can use the word in formal academic writing or legal contexts (e.g., a silent partner or a silent witness). You also understand how 'mudo' functions as a noun in certain contexts (e.g., 'el mudo de la clase') and the social sensitivities surrounding the term in different Spanish-speaking regions.

Inscris-toi gratuitement pour lire l'explication complète

At the C2 level, you have a masterly grasp of 'mudo'. You can use it in highly nuanced philosophical discussions about the limits of language—where words end and one is left 'mudo'. You are familiar with archaic or very rare uses in classical Spanish literature (like Cervantes or Quevedo). You can navigate the most subtle differences between 'mudo', 'taciturno', 'retraído', and 'lacónico' in any given register. You can also discuss the linguistics of 'letras mudas' across various Romance languages and how the concept of 'silence' is constructed differently in Hispanic cultures compared to others.

Inscris-toi gratuitement pour lire l'explication complète

Entraîne-toi Exemples Notes et astuces

mudo en 30 secondes

Mudo is the Spanish word for 'mute' or 'silent', primarily describing someone who cannot speak or a person who is temporarily speechless.
It must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies: mudo, muda, mudos, or mudas.
Commonly used in fixed phrases like 'cine mudo' (silent cinema) and 'quedarse mudo' (to be struck dumb).
It also describes silent letters in linguistics, most notably the Spanish 'h', which is always silent.

The Spanish word mudo is a versatile adjective that primarily describes the inability to speak, whether as a permanent physical condition or a temporary state induced by overwhelming emotion. At its core, it translates to 'mute' or 'silent' in English. Understanding mudo requires looking beyond the medical definition and into the realm of human reaction. In Hispanic cultures, being 'mudo' is often associated with moments of profound shock, awe, or even fear. When someone says se quedó mudo, they aren't necessarily saying the person lost their voice permanently; they are describing a moment where words failed them entirely.

Physical Capacity: In a clinical or descriptive sense, mudo refers to a person who is speech-impaired. It is important to note that modern usage often prefers more sensitive terms like 'persona con discapacidad auditiva' if deafness is involved, but mudo remains the standard adjective for the lack of speech itself.
Emotional Paralysis: This is perhaps the most common colloquial use. If you witness something incredible, like a surprise proposal or a tragic accident, you might be mudo de asombro (mute with astonishment). It implies a total blockage of the verbal faculties due to the brain processing intense stimuli.
Inanimate Objects: The word extends to objects that 'should' make sound but don't. For example, cine mudo refers to silent films. A 'testigo mudo' (silent witness) refers to an object or a place that was present during an event but cannot testify in court.

El niño se quedó mudo cuando vio el regalo gigante en la sala.

The boy became speechless when he saw the giant gift in the living room.

Historically, the term has been used in literature to represent the marginalized or those without a political voice. To be 'mudo' in a social context means to be ignored or denied the right to express one's needs. This metaphorical layer is crucial for advanced learners who wish to read Spanish news or literature. For instance, a 'grito mudo' (silent scream) is a powerful poetic image used to describe internal suffering that isn't voiced out loud.

La historia del cine mudo es fundamental para entender el arte moderno.

The history of silent cinema is fundamental to understanding modern art.

Linguistic Context: In linguistics, specifically when learning Spanish phonetics, you will hear that the letter 'H' is muda. This means it has no sound. Unlike the English 'H' in 'house', the Spanish 'H' in 'hola' is completely silent.

When you use mudo, remember it must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. A girl is muda, a group of men are mudos, and a group of women are mudas. This grammatical consistency is key to sounding natural. Whether you are describing a character in a book or your own reaction to a beautiful sunset, mudo captures that specific human experience where language reaches its limit and silence takes over.

Using mudo correctly involves understanding its placement and its relationship with verbs like ser, estar, and quedarse. Each verb changes the nuance of the word significantly. If you use ser mudo, you are describing a permanent characteristic. If you use quedarse mudo, you are describing a sudden change in state.

Ella es muda de nacimiento y se comunica con señas.

She has been mute since birth and communicates with signs.

In the example above, ser indicates an essential quality. However, look at how the meaning shifts when we use a verb of change:

Al escuchar la noticia, todos se quedaron mudos.

Upon hearing the news, everyone was struck dumb (became silent).

Agreement Rules: Remember the four forms:
1. Mudo (Masculine Singular): El perro mudo.
2. Muda (Feminine Singular): La película muda.
3. Mudos (Masculine Plural): Los testigos mudos.
4. Mudas (Feminine Plural): Las letras mudas.

Another frequent use is in the phrase mudo de [emotion]. This construction explains the cause of the silence. You can be mudo de miedo (speechless with fear), mudo de dolor (silent with pain), or mudo de rabia (speechless with rage). It emphasizes that the emotion is so strong it bypasses the ability to verbalize.

El bosque parecía un testigo mudo de los siglos pasados.

The forest seemed like a silent witness to past centuries.

In professional settings, you might encounter mudo in technical documentation. For instance, in video editing or telecommunications, a 'canal mudo' is a channel without audio. In medical reports, mutismo is the noun form, but mudo is the adjective used to describe the patient. Always ensure that the context dictates whether you are being literal (physical) or figurative (emotional).

You will encounter mudo in a variety of real-world contexts, ranging from the classroom to the cinema. One of the most common places is in a Spanish language class. Teachers often emphasize that la letra hache es muda. This is a foundational rule of Spanish phonetics that every learner hears early on. It distinguishes Spanish from English, where the 'h' is often aspirated.

En español, la letra 'h' siempre es muda.

In Spanish, the letter 'h' is always silent.

In the world of entertainment, cine mudo is a frequently discussed topic. Even if you aren't a film historian, you might hear people talking about Charlie Chaplin or the era of 'películas mudas'. When watching Spanish-dubbed movies, if a character is suddenly shocked into silence, the subtitles might read [se queda mudo] or [silencio mudo] to indicate the dramatic weight of the moment.

News and Media: Journalists often use mudo metaphorically. You might read a headline like 'El gobierno se queda mudo ante las protestas' (The government remains silent in the face of protests). Here, it implies a refusal to comment or a lack of response rather than a physical inability to speak.
Daily Conversations: If you are telling a story to friends and you reach a climax where you were shocked, you'd say: '¡Me quedé mudo! No supe qué decir'. It’s a very natural way to express that you were 'floored' or 'speechless'.

Vimos una exposición sobre los cómicos del cine mudo.

We saw an exhibition about the comedians of silent cinema.

In religious or spiritual contexts, mudo might appear in descriptions of miracles (e.g., 'el mudo habló') or in the concept of 'oración muda' (silent prayer). It is also found in the animal kingdom; for instance, certain species of dogs or birds that don't bark or sing might be described as mudos. Overall, the word is pervasive because silence is such a fundamental part of the human experience, whether chosen, forced, or natural.

One of the most frequent mistakes English speakers make is confusing mudo with the verb mudar (to move or to change). While they share the same root, they are used very differently. If you say 'Me mudo', you are saying 'I am moving (houses)', not 'I am becoming mute'.

Confusing Mudo with Callado: Learners often use mudo when they simply mean 'quiet'. If a person is just not talking much at a party, they are callado. If you call them mudo, you are implying they cannot speak or are in a state of shock. It sounds much more extreme than intended.
Gender Agreement Errors: As mentioned before, forgetting that mudo is an adjective is common. Saying 'La niña es mudo' is a basic error. Always match the ending: 'La niña es muda'.

Incorrecto: El hombre está mudar por la sorpresa.
Correcto: El hombre está mudo por la sorpresa.

Another mistake involves the 'silent H'. English speakers sometimes try to pronounce the 'h' in words like 'hospital' or 'hotel' in Spanish because they exist in English. They forget that in Spanish, that letter is muda. Practicing the phrase 'La hache es muda' helps reinforce this phonological rule.

Finally, be careful with the intensity. Mudo is a 'strong' word. Using it to describe a library (e.g., 'La biblioteca es muda') is less common than 'La biblioteca es silenciosa'. Mudo usually implies a lack of voice where a voice is expected, whereas silencioso describes a general lack of noise. Use mudo for people, characters, or specific 'voiced' entities like films or letters.

To truly master mudo, you must know its synonyms and how they differ in intensity and context. Spanish has several words for 'silent' or 'quiet', and choosing the right one will make you sound more like a native speaker.

Mudo vs. Callado: Callado means 'quiet' or 'reserved'. It describes someone who isn't talking at the moment or someone who has a quiet personality. Mudo is much stronger, implying a total inability or a complete refusal to speak due to shock.
Mudo vs. Silencioso: Silencioso usually refers to environments, machines, or movements. An electric car is silencioso. A person walking on tiptoes is silencioso. Mudo is almost always applied to the faculty of speech or things that represent speech.
Mudo vs. Áfono: Áfono (or 'estar afónico') is the medical term for having lost your voice due to a sore throat or shouting too much. If you have a cold, you are afónico, not mudo.

Comparación:
1. Juan es muy callado (He doesn't talk much).
2. Juan se quedó mudo (He was shocked into silence).
3. Juan está afónico (He has laryngitis).

In literary contexts, you might find taciturno, which describes someone who is habitually silent and perhaps a bit gloomy. Another high-level alternative is lacónico, which describes someone who speaks very briefly and uses few words (like the ancient Spartans). While mudo is the absence of words, lacónico is the economy of words.

Finally, consider the word inmóvil (motionless). Often, mudo and inmóvil go together in descriptions of shock: 'Se quedó mudo e inmóvil'. Using these pairings helps build a vivid picture in the listener's mind. By understanding these distinctions, you avoid the 'one-word-fits-all' trap and start expressing yourself with the precision of a native speaker.

How Formal Is It?

Le savais-tu ?

The word is onomatopoeic in origin, mimicking the 'mu' sound made when the mouth is closed and one tries to speak.

Guide de prononciation

UK /ˈmuː.dəʊ/

US /ˈmu.doʊ/

The stress is on the first syllable: MU-do.

Rime avec

nudo pudo rudo sudo escudo agudo ayudo saludo

Erreurs fréquentes

Pronouncing the 'd' too hard (it should be soft, almost like 'th').
Adding an 'n' and saying 'mundo' (world).
Not changing the ending for feminine nouns.
Pronouncing the 'u' like the English 'u' in 'mute' (it should be 'oo').
Over-aspirating the 'm'.

Niveau de difficulté

Lecture 2/5

Very easy to recognize due to its similarity to 'mute'.

Écriture 3/5

Easy, but remember gender agreement.

Expression orale 4/5

The soft 'd' can be tricky for beginners.

Écoute 3/5

Might be confused with 'mundo' if spoken quickly.

Quoi apprendre ensuite

Prérequis

hablar silencio persona película letra

Apprends ensuite

afónico sordo señas enmudecer asombro

Avancé

mutismo lacónico taciturno elocuencia grapado

Grammaire à connaître

Adjective-Noun Agreement

El hombre mudo / La mujer muda.

Verbs of Change

Quedarse mudo (to become mute).

Silent H Rule

Hospital, huevo, helado (all start with a silent H).

Using Adjectives as Nouns

El mudo (the mute man).

Preposition 'de' with emotions

Mudo de alegría.

Inscris-toi gratuitement pour lire l'explication complète

Exemples par niveau

La letra h es muda en español.

The letter h is silent in Spanish.

Muda is feminine because 'letra' is feminine.

Mi abuelo es mudo.

My grandfather is mute.

Mudo is masculine singular.

La película es muda.

The movie is silent.

Muda matches 'película'.

Ellos son mudos.

They are mute.

Plural masculine form.

Tengo un amigo mudo.

I have a mute friend.

Adjective follows the noun 'amigo'.

Las niñas son mudas.

The girls are mute.

Plural feminine form.

Es un libro mudo, solo tiene dibujos.

It's a silent book, it only has drawings.

Metaphorical use for objects.

El mimo es mudo durante el show.

The mime is silent during the show.

Refers to a temporary state of the profession.

Me quedé mudo de la sorpresa.

I was speechless with surprise.

Uses 'quedarse' to show a change in state.

Vimos una película de cine mudo.

We watched a silent cinema movie.

Cine mudo is a fixed phrase.

Cuando ella entró, él se quedó mudo.

When she entered, he became speechless.

Preterite tense of 'quedarse'.

El niño se puso mudo cuando vio al perro.

The boy became silent when he saw the dog.

'Ponerse mudo' is similar to 'quedarse mudo'.

No seas mudo, ¡di algo!

Don't be silent, say something!

Imperative 'ser' used figuratively.

La gata es muda, no maúlla.

The cat is mute, she doesn't meow.

Feminine agreement.

Estamos mudos ante tanta belleza.

We are speechless before such beauty.

Plural agreement.

Él nació mudo pero oye bien.

He was born mute but hears well.

Contrast between speaking and hearing.

Las paredes son testigos mudos de la historia.

The walls are silent witnesses of history.

Personification of an object.

Se quedó mudo de asombro al ver el paisaje.

He was struck dumb with awe upon seeing the landscape.

Common collocation 'mudo de asombro'.

Es mejor quedarse mudo que decir una mentira.

It's better to stay silent than to tell a lie.

Infinitive use as a subject.

La hache intercalada también es muda.

The 'h' in the middle of a word is also silent.

Specific linguistic context.

El público permaneció mudo durante el concierto.

The audience remained silent during the concert.

'Permanecer' implies duration.

A veces el dolor es mudo y no se nota.

Sometimes pain is silent and isn't noticed.

Abstract usage.

No te quedes mudo, defiende tus derechos.

Don't stay silent, defend your rights.

Metaphorical use for lack of action.

El teléfono se quedó mudo de repente.

The phone suddenly went dead (silent).

Colloquial use for technology.

Su silencio mudo era más elocuente que mil palabras.

His mute silence was more eloquent than a thousand words.

Redundant for poetic emphasis.

El protagonista es un mudo que vive en la montaña.

The protagonist is a mute man who lives in the mountains.

Mudo used as a noun.

Había una rabia muda en sus ojos.

There was a silent rage in her eyes.

Abstract emotion.

La ciudad quedó muda tras la tormenta.

The city fell silent after the storm.

Collective noun agreement.

Fue un grito mudo pidiendo auxilio.

It was a silent scream for help.

Oxymoron for literary effect.

Los documentos son testigos mudos del crimen.

The documents are silent witnesses to the crime.

Metaphorical legal context.

Se hizo el mudo para no meterse en problemas.

He played dumb (remained silent) to avoid trouble.

Idiomatic 'hacerse el mudo'.

El piano mudo esperaba a un gran maestro.

The silent piano waited for a great master.

Personification.

El mutismo selectivo es un trastorno complejo.

Selective mutism is a complex disorder.

Noun form 'mutismo'.

Su reacción me dejó mudo y sin capacidad de respuesta.

Her reaction left me speechless and unable to respond.

Intensifying the state of being 'mudo'.

El cine mudo sentó las bases del lenguaje visual.

Silent cinema laid the foundations of visual language.

Historical/Academic context.

Era un hombre mudo de sentimientos.

He was a man devoid of (silent about) feelings.

Advanced metaphorical use.

La naturaleza es un oráculo mudo.

Nature is a silent oracle.

Philosophical metaphor.

Quedó mudo ante la evidencia irrefutable.

He was silenced by the irrefutable evidence.

Passive implication.

El autor utiliza el personaje mudo para criticar la censura.

The author uses the mute character to criticize censorship.

Literary analysis.

Sintió un terror mudo que le paralizó las piernas.

He felt a silent terror that paralyzed his legs.

Descriptive intensity.

La hache, vestigio mudo del latín, persiste en nuestra grafía.

The 'h', a silent vestige of Latin, persists in our spelling.

Linguistic history.

Se sumió en un letargo mudo del que no despertó.

He sank into a mute lethargy from which he did not wake.

High-level literary prose.

El paisaje invernal ofrecía una paz muda y gélida.

The winter landscape offered a silent and icy peace.

Evocative description.

Su mirada era un reproche mudo que me hería.

Her gaze was a silent reproach that hurt me.

Abstract psychological use.

La estatua, mudo centinela, guardaba la entrada.

The statue, a silent sentinel, guarded the entrance.

Apposition with 'mudo'.

Buscaba en el espacio mudo una respuesta divina.

He sought a divine answer in the mute space.

Existential context.

El tratado permaneció como un pacto mudo entre naciones.

The treaty remained as a silent pact between nations.

Diplomatic/Legal metaphor.

La desolación lo dejó mudo de toda esperanza.

Desolation left him mute of all hope.

Maximum metaphorical abstraction.

Collocations courantes

cine mudo

quedarse mudo

testigo mudo

letra muda

mudo de asombro

grito mudo

dolor mudo

hacerse el mudo

mudo de nacimiento

pacto mudo

Phrases Courantes

Quedarse mudo

— To become speechless or unable to talk due to surprise.

Se quedó mudo cuando ganó la lotería.

Cine mudo

— Films produced without a synchronized recorded soundtrack.

Charles Chaplin fue el rey del cine mudo.

Hacerse el mudo

— To pretend not to know anything or to refuse to speak.

El sospechoso se hizo el mudo durante el interrogatorio.

Letra muda

— A letter that is written but not pronounced.

En francés hay muchas letras mudas.

Testigo mudo

— An object or place that was present during an event.

El viejo roble es el único testigo mudo del duelo.

Mudo de asombro

— Extremely surprised to the point of silence.

Quedamos mudos de asombro al entrar en la catedral.

Grito mudo

— A powerful expression of emotion that is not voiced.

Sus ojos eran un grito mudo de desesperación.

Dolor mudo

— Deep suffering that is kept inside.

Llevaba un dolor mudo en el corazón.

Mudo de miedo

— So scared that one cannot speak.

Estaba mudo de miedo en la oscuridad.

Mudo de rabia

— So angry that words fail.

Se quedó mudo de rabia ante la injusticia.

Souvent confondu avec

mudo vs mundo

Means 'world'. Very similar spelling and sound.

mudo vs mudar

Means 'to move' or 'to change'. Shares a root but different usage.

mudo vs nudo

Means 'knot'. Similar sound, especially the 'u-do' ending.

Expressions idiomatiques

"Quedarse mudo"

— To be struck dumb or speechless.

Cuando vio el accidente, se quedó mudo.

Neutral

"Hacerse el mudo"

— To play dumb or ignore a question.

Le pregunté por el dinero y se hizo el mudo.

Informal

"Mudo como una tumba"

— Silent as a grave (keeping a secret perfectly).

No te preocupes, seré mudo como una tumba.

Colloquial

"Dejar mudo a alguien"

— To leave someone speechless (usually by outsmarting them).

Su respuesta dejó mudo al profesor.

Neutral

"Mudo de espanto"

— Mute with terror.

El niño estaba mudo de espanto tras la pesadilla.

Literary

"Como un mudo"

— Acting like someone who can't speak (often used when someone is being too quiet).

Estás ahí parado como un mudo, ¡di algo!

Informal

"Pacto mudo"

— An unspoken agreement.

Tenían un pacto mudo de no hablar del pasado.

Neutral

"Súplica muda"

— A silent plea (using eyes or gestures).

Sus ojos hacían una súplica muda.

Literary

"Verdades mudas"

— Obvious truths that no one says out loud.

Hay verdades mudas que todos conocemos.

Philosophical

"Mudo de indignación"

— Speechless with outrage.

Se quedó mudo de indignación ante el insulto.

Formal

Facile à confondre

mudo vs callado

Both mean silent.

Callado is a choice or personality; mudo is an inability or extreme shock.

Él es callado (quiet), pero no es mudo (mute).

mudo vs silencioso

Both mean silent.

Silencioso is for environments/objects; mudo is for speech.

El coche es silencioso, el mimo es mudo.

mudo vs afónico

Both involve not speaking.

Afónico is temporary due to illness; mudo is permanent or from shock.

No puedo hablar, estoy afónico.

mudo vs nudo

Phonetic similarity.

Nudo is a knot in a rope; mudo is a lack of speech.

Tengo un nudo en la garganta.

mudo vs mundo

Orthographic similarity.

Mundo is the planet; mudo is silent.

Todo el mundo se quedó mudo.

Structures de phrases

Sujeto + ser + mudo/a

Él es mudo.

Sujeto + quedarse + mudo/a

Ella se quedó muda.

Mudo + de + [Sustantivo]

Mudo de miedo.

[Sustantivo] + mudo/a (Metaphor)

Testigo mudo.

Hacerse + el mudo

Se hizo el mudo.

Adjetivo + mudo + sustantivo

Aquel mudo reproche.

Permanecer + mudo

El bosque permaneció mudo.

Cine + mudo

Me gusta el cine mudo.

Famille de mots

Noms

mutismo (muteness/silence)

mudez (muteness)

Verbes

enmudecer (to fall silent)

mudar (to change/move - related root but different meaning)

Adjectifs

mudo/a

mudito (diminutive)

Apparenté

silencio

habla

lenguaje

señas

sordo

Inscris-toi gratuitement pour voir tous les exemples

Comment l'utiliser

frequency

Common in both spoken and written Spanish.

Erreurs courantes

El niña es mudo. → La niña es muda.
Gender agreement is mandatory for adjectives in Spanish.
Me mudo de la sorpresa. → Me quedé mudo de la sorpresa.
'Me mudo' means 'I am moving (house)'. Use 'quedarse mudo' for shock.
Estoy mudo porque tengo gripe. → Estoy afónico porque tengo gripe.
Use 'afónico' for temporary voice loss due to illness.
La biblioteca está muda. → La biblioteca está silenciosa.
'Mudo' is usually for voices; 'silencioso' is for environments.
El hombre es mundo. → El hombre es mudo.
Don't confuse 'mudo' (mute) with 'mundo' (world).

Astuces

Gender Agreement

Always match 'mudo' with the noun. 'La hache es muda' is a perfect example to remember the feminine form.

Cine Mudo

Use this phrase to talk about history. It’s a great way to practice the adjective in a cultural context.

Soft D

Pronounce the 'd' in 'mudo' by placing your tongue against your upper teeth, not the roof of your mouth.

Metaphors

Use 'testigo mudo' to describe objects in your stories to make them more poetic.

Mudo vs Mundo

Be careful! 'Mundo' has an 'n' and means world. Context usually helps, but listen for that nasal 'n'.

Sensitivity

When referring to people, 'mudo' is okay for friends/family, but use more formal terms in professional writing.

Mute/Mudo

Since they share the first two letters, always link them in your mind.

Daily Use

Next time you are shocked, think to yourself: '¡Me quedé mudo!' to internalize the phrase.

Silent Letters

Remember that 'h' is always 'muda'. This is the most common use of the word in schools.

Hacerse el mudo

Use this when someone is ignoring you or pretending they didn't hear your question.

Mémorise-le

Moyen mnémotechnique

Think of a 'Moo-ing' cow that suddenly stops. Now it is MUDO. It has a 'Mouth Under Duress' (MUDO).

Association visuelle

Imagine a person with a large 'X' made of tape over their mouth. On the tape, it says 'MUDO'.

Word Web

silencio cine hache señas asombro sordo hablar boca

Défi

Try to spend 10 minutes without speaking at all. Tell your friends 'Estoy mudo por diez minutos' and see how you feel.

Origine du mot

From the Latin 'mutus', which means silent or dumb.

Sens originel : Unable to speak or making no sound.

Indo-European (Romance branch).

Contexte culturel

While 'mudo' is a standard adjective, avoid using it as a derogatory label for people with disabilities.

In English, 'mute' is often replaced by 'speech-impaired' in sensitive contexts; in Spanish, 'mudo' is still common but 'persona con discapacidad del habla' is more formal.

The era of 'Cine Mudo' (Silent Film). The character 'Bernardo' in Zorro (who is mudo). The 'H' in Spanish grammar.

Pratique dans la vie réelle

Contextes réels

Linguistics

La hache es muda
Letra muda
Fonema mudo
Hache muda

Cinema

Cine mudo
Película muda
Actor de cine mudo
Época muda

Emotions

Mudo de asombro
Quedarse mudo
Mudo de miedo
Mudo de rabia

Legal

Testigo mudo
Socio mudo
Pacto mudo
Evidencia muda

Medical

Mudo de nacimiento
Sordomudo
Mutismo selectivo
Paciente mudo

Amorces de conversation

"¿Te gusta el cine mudo o prefieres las películas con sonido?"

"¿Alguna vez te has quedado mudo de la sorpresa?"

"¿Sabías que en español la letra 'h' es siempre muda?"

"¿Qué harías si te quedaras mudo por un día entero?"

"¿Crees que un testigo mudo puede decir la verdad en un juicio?"

Sujets d'écriture

Describe un momento de tu vida en el que te quedaste mudo de asombro.

Escribe sobre la importancia del cine mudo en la historia del arte.

Si fueras un testigo mudo de un evento histórico, ¿cuál elegirías?

Reflexiona sobre cómo sería la comunicación si todos fuéramos mudos.

¿Por qué crees que la letra 'h' sigue siendo muda en lugar de desaparecer?

Questions fréquentes

10 questions

In a medical context, it is descriptive. However, like 'mute' in English, it is better to use 'persona con discapacidad del habla' in formal or sensitive situations.

No. A person can be 'mudo' but have perfect hearing. If they are both, the term is 'sordomudo'.

The standard term is 'cine mudo' or 'película muda'.

Yes, in standard Spanish, the 'h' is always silent (muda), except in some loanwords or specific dialects.

It's better to use 'silenciosa'. 'Muda' would be personification, suggesting the library has a mouth it's not using.

'Mudo' implies you can't speak; 'callado' implies you are choosing not to speak or are naturally quiet.

The verb 'quedarse' is the most common: 'Me quedé mudo'.

Yes, if an animal that normally makes sound is silent, you can call it 'mudo'.

The direct opposite is 'hablador' (talkative) or simply someone who can speak.

Yes, 'el mudo' means 'the mute man'.

Inscris-toi gratuitement pour les astuces et notes