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locura

loh-KOO-rah/loˈkuɾa/

“locura” means “madness” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

madness

Also: insanity, craziness
NounfB1
A solitary figure sitting quietly, but a storm of swirling, colorful abstract shapes erupts from their head, symbolizing mental turmoil or the state of madness.

📝 In Action

El personaje principal cae en la locura al final de la novela.

B2

The main character descends into madness at the end of the novel.

A veces, el estrés del trabajo me lleva al borde de la locura.

B1

Sometimes, the stress from work brings me to the brink of madness.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • cordura (sanity)
  • sensatez (sensibleness)

Common Collocations

  • un ataque de locura – a fit of madness
  • al borde de la locura – on the verge of madness
  • curar la locura – to cure madness

a crazy thing

Also: something crazy, madness
NounfA2informal
Argentina & UruguaySpain
A cheerful figure standing on a high cliff edge, joyfully pushing a small, brightly colored rowboat into the open air above the clouds, symbolizing an impulsive and reckless decision.

📝 In Action

¡Pagar mil euros por esa camisa es una locura!

A2

Paying a thousand euros for that shirt is crazy!

Dejar mi trabajo para viajar por el mundo fue la mejor locura de mi vida.

B1

Quitting my job to travel the world was the best crazy thing I ever did.

La fiesta de anoche fue una auténtica locura.

A2

Last night's party was absolute madness.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • disparate (nonsense, foolish remark)
  • tontería (a silly thing, foolishness)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • hacer una locura – to do something crazy
  • cometer una locura – to do something crazy (lit. to commit a madness)
  • ¡Qué locura! – That's crazy! / How crazy!

Idioms & Expressions

  • una locura de amor – a grand, crazy gesture done for love

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "locura" in Spanish:

craziness→insanity→madness→something crazy→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: locura

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'locura' to describe a reckless but possibly fun action?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
loco/a(crazy, mad) — Adjective
enloquecer(to go crazy, to drive someone crazy) — Verb
alocado/a(hare-brained, wild, scatterbrained) — Adjective
loquero(psychiatric hospital (slang)) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

It comes from the Spanish word 'loco' (crazy). The ending '-ura' is added to adjectives to turn them into nouns that describe a quality or state. So, 'locura' is literally the 'state of being crazy'. The origin of 'loco' itself is uncertain but it's thought to be a very old word from before the Romans arrived in Spain.

First recorded: Around the 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: loucuraGalician: loucura

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'locura' and 'estupidez'?

'Locura' suggests something wild, reckless, or beyond the limits of normal behavior, which could even be brilliant or exciting. 'Estupidez' (stupidity) is more negative and simply means a lack of intelligence or good sense. Doing something crazy ('una locura') might turn out to be fun, while doing something stupid ('una estupidez') is almost always just a bad idea.

Can I say 'un locuro' for a crazy man?

No, that word doesn't exist. To say 'a crazy man' you would use the adjective 'loco' and say 'un hombre loco' or just 'un loco'.