Quite is an adverb meaning fairly or completely; quiet is an adjective meaning making little noise, or calm. In writing, only the order of the last two letters is different. When spoken, the difference is in the syllables: quite has one syllable and rhymes with white, while quiet has two, qui-et, with a short weak sound after the first one.
quite or quiet — can you pick the right one?
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quite + adjective/adverb; quite a + noun; not quite + adjective; quiet + place/person; be/keep quiet
- The exam was quite difficult, but I managed to finish all the tasks.
- We booked a quiet hotel away from the centre so we could sleep well.
- Could you be quiet for a minute? I'm on the phone with a client.
What changed
First versionMy new office is very quite, so I can focus on my reports.
RevisionMy new office is very quiet, so I can focus on my reports.
The office needs a word that describes it, making little noise, and that is quiet, ending in -et. Quite means fairly and does not describe the office, so very quite makes no sense. To remember the spelling, say the word slowly: qui-et has two syllables, so the e comes before the t.
The meaning of quite depends on the next word. With ordinary adjectives it means fairly: The flat is quite cheap. With words that cannot be only a little true, it means completely: You're quite right. And not quite means not completely: I'm not quite ready yet.
Your turn
Please keep your voice down in the reading room: it needs to stay ___.
Show the answer
quiet — A reading room should have little noise, and stay needs an adjective after it, so the answer is quiet. Quite means fairly and needs another word after it: quite big, quite early.
Describe a place where you like to study or work. Describe the place itself with quiet and rate something about it with quite.
I usually study in a quiet café near my house because the coffee is quite cheap and nobody disturbs me.
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