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Pcgasparetto Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

What should I say?

Friends,

When I'm changing my baby's diaper and he keeps on moving and shaking his legs, what should I tell him: "Be still!", "Stay still!", "Be quiet!" or "Stay quiet!"?

In Portuguese, my native language, we say "Fique quieto!" and if we translate this literally into English, it is "Stay quiet!"; but I guess "quiet", in English, is more like "in silence", right? It seems to me that "still" fits better, but I don't know. Which should I use?

Thanks for your help.

PC
  

Top answer

pcgasparetto Stay still! This is the one you need. " CJ

— CalifJim

  • pcgasparetto Stay still!
  • This is the one you need.
  • " CJ
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4 Answers
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pcgasparettoStay still!
This is the one you need.

If the baby is screaming his lungs out, then it's "Be quiet!"
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Honestly, does it matter? The baby won't understand.

Keep still!

Stay still!
Settle down now!

But ... you could also say "rampaging elephants" for all the comprehension the baby will have.
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Grammar GeekHonestly, does it matter?
Maybe the OP's English teacher is in the same room listening.
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Grammar GeekHonestly, does it matter? The baby won't understand.
But ... you could also say "rampaging elephants" for all the comprehension the baby will have.
Really? I'm sorry, Grammar Geek, but that seems very bizarre to me. I won't talk nonsense to my child just because he doesn't understand it yet. On the contrary, I must talk correctly to him (and I t
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