Translation guide
To become quieter or to make someone/something quieter. In Japanese, this is often expressed with verbs meaning 'to become quiet' (intransitive) or 'to make quiet' (transitive), as well as phrases for telling someone to be quiet.
To describe a person, group, or environment becoming quieter on its own.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to become quiet' or 'to calm down'. Used for sounds, crowds, or situations.
嵐が過ぎて、外は静まった。
After the storm passed, it quietened down outside.
子供たちが寝て、家の中が静まった。
The children went to sleep and the house quietened down.
Common phrase literally meaning 'to become quiet'. More colloquial than 静まる.
夜になると、街は静かになる。
At night, the town quietens down.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to quiet down' or 'to subside', often used for pain, excitement, or disturbances. More formal/literary.
騒動が鎮まるまで待ちましょう。
Let's wait until the disturbance quietens down.
To cause a person, group, or thing to become quieter.
Transitive verb meaning 'to quieten' or 'to calm'. Used for sounds, emotions, or people.
先生は生徒たちを静めようとした。
The teacher tried to quieten down the students.
彼女は泣いている赤ちゃんを静めた。
She quietened down the crying baby.
Causative phrase meaning 'to make someone quiet'. More direct and colloquial.
うるさい子供たちを静かにさせるのは大変だ。
It's hard to quieten down noisy children.
Transitive verb meaning 'to suppress' or 'to quell', used for disturbances, pain, or unrest. Formal/literary.
Commands or requests for someone to stop making noise.
Common casual request meaning 'Be quiet' or 'Quieten down'. Can be made polite by adding ください.
静かにして！映画が始まるよ。
Quieten down! The movie is starting.
静かにしてください。
Please quieten down.
Literally 'noisy', used as a blunt command meaning 'Shut up' or 'Be quiet'. Very direct and potentially rude.
Can be very rude; use only with close friends or in anger.
Polite, formal request for quiet, often used in announcements or by staff.
お静かに願います。
Please quieten down.
To become less excited, agitated, or emotional.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to calm down' or 'to settle down'. Used for emotions and situations.
少し落ち着いてから話しましょう。
Let's talk after you've quietened down a bit.
Phrase meaning 'to become calm/composed'. More about regaining composure.
彼は怒っていたが、すぐに冷静になった。
He was angry but soon quietened down.
静まる is intransitive (something becomes quiet), while 静める is transitive (someone makes something quiet). They are a transitive-intransitive pair.
There is no single verb that covers all uses of 'quieten down'. Choose the expression based on whether something is becoming quiet on its own, being made quiet, or being commanded to be quiet.
The government sent troops to quieten down the rebellion.
うるさい！静かにしろ！
Shut up! Quieten down!