Education

How Do You Say Stupid in Spanish

January 21, 2023

There are a variety of ways to say “stupid” in Spanish, just as there are in other languages; and while it may be tempting to use such vocabulary when referring to or describing friends, the truth is that such phrases also allow you to refer to foolish events or behaviours.

How Do You Say Stupid in Spanish

Given the usefulness of knowing how to say “stupid” in Spanish, I’ve included a list of 10 such phrases here. To help you better understand these terms, I have provided not only instances of their application but also brief explanations.

By the conclusion, you’ll be able to express a wide variety of emotions while describing anything as “stupid” or “silly” in Spanish.

1: Menso – Silly / Dork

One of the most prevalent synonyms for “silly,” “dork,” or “stupid” in Latin American Spanish is menso. While the word “menso” may sound like a curse or insult, it is neither. The word “qualify” is not limited to describing people; it may also be applied to things and scenarios.

Menso is a singular noun that describes males or male-oriented stuff. Since this is the case, you must use mensa for female subjects and plural forms when referring to more than one individual. Some good illustrations of this word’s potential usage are as follows:

Carlos y Agustín son muy mensos.
Carlos and Agustin are very silly.
No sean mensas, dejen que Caro las ayude.
Don’t be dumb, let Caro help you guys.

2: Tonto – Dumb / Fool

In case you didn’t know, tonto is a widespread slang term for “stupid” in Spanish. The word “tonto” is used to indicate that someone is not particularly bright or savvy. Thus, it might mean “dumb,” “fool,” “foolish,” “silly,” “slow,” “naive,” “dummy,” or “stupid” depending on the setting.

To avoid any confusion, remember that the adjective tonto can be be used in its feminine (tonta) and plural (tontos, tontas) forms, depending on the person being described. See the examples of how to use this word in a sentence below. The use of an adverb can add emphasis to a sentence.

No seas tonto, Charlie, no te conviene renunciar.
Don’t be a fool, Charlie, you don’t want to quit.
Jackson es muy tonto para aprender idiomas.
Jackson is very dumb at learning languages.

3: Tarado – Fool / Moron

If you want to say “stupid” in Spanish but you don’t know the word, you can also use the word tarado. The word “tarado” is not inherently offensive, but it might be taken the wrong way when used as an angry synonym for “stupid.” You should probably only share it with close pals.

In this sense, ‘tarado’ is more common in Latin American Spanish and is equivalent to the English words ‘fool,”moron,”stupid,’ and ‘dumb.’ Observe that this word can function as both an adjective and a proper noun (noun).

Qué tarada, se me olvidaron las llaves.
So stupid, I forgot my keys!
¡Tarados, se van a lastimar!
You’re going to hurt yourselves, you fools!
El novio de Sally está muy tarado.
Sally’s boyfriend is so foolish.
Oye, tarado, ¿dónde dejaste mi cartera?
Where did you leave my wallet, moron?

4: Bobo – Dumb / Silly

The term bobo, which translates to “stupid” in Spanish, is a pleasant and almost endearing term. Men who don’t want to come across as being too harsh or violent can use this word to describe their partners or children if they wish to use a derogatory term.

Bobo, like the more pejorative “tonto,” suggests naiveté. Its meaning changes depending on the surrounding words.