Siempre intento silenciar el micrófono cuando toso.

I always try to mute the microphone when I cough.

Breakdown of Siempre intento silenciar el micrófono cuando toso.

• yo: I
• cuando: when
• siempre: always
• intentar: to try
• el micrófono: the microphone
• silenciar: to mute
• toser: to cough

Questions & Answers about Siempre intento silenciar el micrófono cuando toso.

Why is it intento silenciar and not intento de silenciar?

In Spanish, intentar normally goes directly with an infinitive, without a preposition:

• Siempre intento silenciar el micrófono. – I always try to mute the microphone.
• Intento aprender español. – I try to learn Spanish.

Using intento de silenciar is not standard in modern Spanish; it sounds wrong or very archaic.

By contrast, other verbs do take a preposition:

• Trato de silenciar el micrófono.
• Procuro silenciar el micrófono. (no preposition here)

So:

• Correct: intento silenciar
• Incorrect: intento de silenciar

Why is there no yo in Siempre intento…?

Spanish usually omits subject pronouns (yo, tú, él, etc.) because the verb ending already shows who the subject is.

• Intento ends in -o, which clearly indicates yo (I).
• Including yo is only necessary for emphasis or contrast:
  
  • Yo siempre intento silenciar el micrófono, pero ellos no.

So:

• Siempre intento silenciar el micrófono… – normal, neutral.
• Yo siempre intento silenciar el micrófono… – more emphatic.

Why is it el micrófono and not just micrófono?

In Spanish, definite articles (el, la, los, las) are used much more often than in English.

Here, el micrófono means “the microphone” – the one we both know is being used in the conversation or meeting. That’s natural in Spanish.

Saying just micrófono without el would sound incomplete or telegraphic in this context (more like a label or a note, not a normal sentence).

Compare:

• Silencia el micrófono. – Mute the microphone.
• Silencia micrófono. – Sounds like an instruction on a button, not normal speech.

Could I say mi micrófono instead of el micrófono?

Yes, you could say:

• Siempre intento silenciar mi micrófono cuando toso.

This emphasizes that it’s your microphone, not someone else’s.

Difference in nuance:

• el micrófono – the (current) microphone in the situation; the default choice; the one in use.
• mi micrófono – your own microphone specifically, a bit more personal or contrastive (e.g., mi micrófono, not the room microphone).

Both are grammatically correct; el micrófono is slightly more neutral.

Can siempre go in a different position, like Intendo siempre silenciar…?

Yes. Siempre is quite flexible in position:

• Siempre intento silenciar el micrófono…
• Intento siempre silenciar el micrófono…
• Intento silenciar siempre el micrófono…

All are grammatically correct. Differences:

• Siempre intento… – most common; adverb at the start, nice rhythm.
• Intento siempre… – equally correct; sometimes used to slightly highlight the verb.
• Intento silenciar siempre el micrófono… – puts siempre closer to silenciar, but meaning is still basically “I always try to mute the mic”.

In everyday speech, Siempre intento… is probably the most natural here.

Why is it cuando toso (present) and not cuando estoy tosiendo (progressive)?

In Spanish, the present simple is usually used for general habits and repeated actions, even when English might use continuous forms.

• cuando toso = whenever I cough / when I cough (in general)

If you said:

• cuando estoy tosiendo – when I am coughing (right at that moment, during that ongoing action),

it would sound less like a general habit and more like a specific ongoing situation. For habitual meaning, cuando + present simple is the norm:

• Siempre cierro la ventana cuando hace frío. – I always close the window when it’s cold.
• Siempre intento silenciar el micrófono cuando toso. – whenever I cough.

Why is it cuando toso (indicative) and not cuando tosa (subjunctive)?

After cuando, Spanish uses:

• Indicative (e.g. toso) for habitual, repeated, or factual actions.
• Subjunctive (e.g. tosa) for future, uncertain, or not yet realized actions, usually in the future.

Here, the coughing is a real, repeated habit, so:

• Siempre intento silenciar el micrófono cuando toso.
  – Every time I cough (as a general fact).

With subjunctive:

• Siempre silenciaré el micrófono cuando tosa.
  – I will always mute the mic when I cough (in the future; more formal/literary).

In everyday speech for habits, cuando + present indicative (cuando toso) is standard.

Could I say cuando tengo tos instead of cuando toso?

You can, but the meaning changes:

• cuando toso – when I cough (each time I cough).
• cuando tengo tos – when I have a cough (when I am sick or have that condition).

So:

• Siempre intento silenciar el micrófono cuando toso.
  – Every time a cough comes out, I try to mute.

• Siempre intento silenciar el micrófono cuando tengo tos.
  – When I’m in a period of having a cough (e.g., during a cold), I try to mute it.

For Zoom/meetings, cuando toso is usually more precise, because it refers to each actual cough.

What’s the difference between silenciar el micrófono and apagar el micrófono?

Both are understandable, but they suggest slightly different things:

• silenciar el micrófono

  • Means to mute the mic (stop the sound, but the device is still on).
  • Is the most natural phrase in the context of video calls, meetings, etc.
  • Direct translation of to silence / to mute.

• apagar el micrófono

  • Literally to turn off the microphone (switch the device off).
  • Suggests cutting power or turning off the mic completely.

In typical online meeting contexts, silenciar el micrófono is the standard expression.

I’ve heard mutear el micro. Is that correct?

You will hear:

• mutear el micro – from English to mute the mic.

This is informal, colloquial, and partly Spanglish. Many people say it in casual speech, especially with technology, but it’s not the best choice in careful or formal Spanish.

More neutral/native options:

• silenciar el micrófono – standard, correct.
• poner el micrófono en silencio – also possible, a bit longer.

So: you’ll understand mutear el micro, but silenciar el micrófono is preferred in good, standard Spanish.

Could I say callar el micrófono?

No, that sounds odd.

• callar normally means to make someone be quiet or to be quiet (people, not devices):
  • Cállate. – Be quiet.
  • Calla a los niños. – Make the kids be quiet.

Using callar with an inanimate object like micrófono is not natural. For devices:

• Use silenciar (to mute, to silence).
• Or apagar (to turn off).

So stick to:

• silenciar el micrófono.

Is the word micrófono stressed on the ó? How is it pronounced?

Yes, micrófono has the stress on the first “o” (the one with the accent mark):

• miCRÓ-fo-no

Syllables: mi–cró–fo–no
The written accent (´) marks the stressed syllable.

Pronunciation tips for a speaker of English:

• mi – like “mee”
• cró – “kro”, with a short o, not like English “crow”
• fo – like “fo” in “photo”, but shorter
• no – like “no” in English, but shorter/cleaner

So: mi-CRÓ-fo-no.