Learn Italian: Chi tace acconsente. - Those who stay silent consent.

Even when chi translates to a plural idea like 'those who' or 'the people who', in Italian it always takes a third-person singular verb. It acts more like 'he who' or 'anyone who'.

What verb does tace come from?

It comes from tacere, which means to be silent or to keep quiet. It is a very useful verb to know, though slightly irregular in the present tense: 'I am silent' is io taccio and 'they are silent' is loro tacciono.

Does acconsente follow the same pattern as sentire?

Yes! It comes from acconsentire (to consent or agree). Just like in English where 'consent' shares a root with 'sense', this Italian verb is built on sentire (to hear or feel) and conjugates the exact same way.

Is this a common phrase in everyday Italian?

Yes, Chi tace acconsente is a famous proverb, equivalent to the English saying 'Silence gives consent.' Italian proverbs frequently use chi to state a general rule about 'whoever' does a certain action.