How do you use "calm down" in a sentence?

Just calm down and tell me what happened. She needed a few minutes to calm down. The teacher calmed the students down.

calm down

Q: What does "calm down" mean?

To become less agitated or to make someone less upset Used when someone is angry, excited, or anxious and needs to relax. Can sound dismissive if used carelessly.

Phrasal Verb BritishAmericanAustralian ★★★★★ Very Common Neutral

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Meaning: To become less agitated or to make someone less upset

冷静下来，或让某人平静下来

Calmarse o tranquilizar a alguien

落ち着く、または誰かを落ち着かせる

진정하다, 또는 누군가를 진정시키다

Used when someone is angry, excited, or anxious and needs to relax. Can sound dismissive if used carelessly.

当某人愤怒、激动或焦虑需要放松时使用。如果使用不当可能会显得轻视对方。

Se usa cuando alguien está enfadado, excitado o ansioso y necesita relajarse. Puede sonar despectivo si se usa sin cuidado.

怒っていたり、興奮していたり、不安を感じている人がリラックスする必要がある時に使います。無神経に使うと、相手を見下しているように聞こえることがあります。

누군가가 화가 나거나, 흥분하거나, 불안할 때 긴장을 풀어야 하는 상황에서 사용한다. 부주의하게 사용하면 상대방을 무시하는 것처럼 들릴 수 있다.

Base verb: calm

Particle: down

Separable: Yes — the object can go between the verb and particle

Examples

Just calm down and tell me what happened.
先冷静下来，告诉我发生了什么
Solo cálmate y dime qué pasó
まず落ち着いて、何があったか教えて
일단 진정하고, 무슨 일인지 말해봐.
She needed a few minutes to calm down.
她需要几分钟来冷静一下
Necesitó unos minutos para calmarse
彼女は落ち着くのに数分必要だった
그녀는 진정하는 데 몇 분이 필요했다.
The teacher calmed the students down.
老师让学生们安静下来
El profesor calmó a los estudiantes
先生は生徒たちを落ち着かせた
선생님이 학생들을 진정시켰다.

Pronunciation

Usage Guide

Context: conflict, stress

Tone: can be supportive or dismissive

✓ Do Say

Let me calm down first
让我先冷静一下
Déjame calmarme primero
まず落ち着かせて
먼저 좀 진정하고

Origin & History

From "calm" meaning peaceful, with "down" suggesting a reduction in intensity.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal