Dicho español · Spanish proverb
«El que calla, otorga.»
¿Cómo se dice «El que calla, otorga» en inglés? Silence gives consent.
Word for word
He who is silent, grants.
What it really means
The closest English equivalent: Silence gives consent.
Used when someone remains silent in the face of an accusation or proposal, implying that their silence means agreement or acceptance. Very common in legal, family, and everyday contexts.
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Also said as
- Quien calla, otorga.
Hear it in a sentence
El que calla, otorga, así que si no dices nada, todos entenderán que estás de acuerdo.
Silence gives consent, so if you say nothing, everyone will understand that you agree.
More Spanish sayings
- Dios aprieta, pero no ahoga. — God tests us but never gives us more than we can bear.
- Para muestra, un botón. — A single example is enough to prove the point.
- El que la hace, la paga. — You reap what you sow.
- A lo hecho, pecho. — What's done is done.
- Hablando se entiende la gente. — Talking things through solves problems.
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Why learn dichos?
Proverbs like this one are everywhere in spoken Spanish — dropped mid-conversation, usually just the first half, with the rest left for you to complete. Recognizing them is one of the fastest ways to sound less like a textbook and follow real speech. Every Lingocito edition signs off with the dicho del día, so you meet one a day next to news written at your level.