ridículo

/ree-DEE-koo-loh/

ridiculous

A cartoonish person wearing a tiny, brightly colored top hat and enormous, mismatched shoes, standing in a silly pose on a plain background.

Something that is absurd or silly is considered ridículo (ridiculous).

ridículo(adjective)

mA2

ridiculous

absurd or silly

Also:

ludicrous

extremely foolish

absurd

contrary to reason

📝 In Action

Llevar un abrigo en verano es ridículo.

Wearing a coat in summer is ridiculous.

La cantidad de dinero que piden me parece ridícula.

The amount of money they are asking for seems ridiculous to me.

Sus excusas eran tan ridículas que nadie le creyó.

His excuses were so ridiculous that nobody believed him.

Word Connections

Synonyms

absurdo (absurd)
tonto (silly, foolish)

Antonyms

sensato (sensible)
razonable (reasonable)

Common Collocations

una idea ridícula – a ridiculous idea
un precio ridículo – a ridiculous price

💡 Grammar Points

Adjective Agreement

As an adjective, 'ridículo' must change its ending to match the thing it is describing: 'el precio ridículo' (m.) vs. 'la idea ridícula' (f.), and it adds an -s for plural.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Forgetting the Accent Mark

Mistake: "Writing 'ridiculo' without the accent."

Correction: Always write 'ridículo' (with the stress on the second syllable) to be grammatically correct. It changes pronunciation if the accent is omitted.

⭐ Usage Tips

Using 'Parecer'

It is very common to use 'parece ridículo' (it seems ridiculous) to express your opinion about a situation or action.

One stylized cartoon figure pointing and laughing loudly at a second figure, who looks embarrassed, demonstrating mockery.

The act of mockery or scorn directed at someone is known as ridículo (ridicule).

ridículo(noun)

mB1

ridicule

mockery or scorn

Also:

laughingstock

a person or thing that is laughed at

mockery

the act of making fun

📝 In Action

Si lo intentas, quizás hagas el ridículo, ¡pero es divertido!

If you try it, you might make a fool of yourself, but it's fun!

Se sintió expuesto al ridículo de sus compañeros.

He felt exposed to the ridicule of his colleagues.

Nadie quiere caer en el ridículo delante de tanta gente.

Nobody wants to fall into ridicule (make a fool of themselves) in front of so many people.

Word Connections

Synonyms

burla (mockery)
escarnio (scorn)

Common Collocations

hacer el ridículo – to make a fool of oneself
caer en el ridículo – to fall into ridicule

💡 Grammar Points

Fixed Gender

When used as a noun, 'ridículo' is always masculine ('el ridículo'), even if the person being ridiculed is female.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Mixing Adjective and Noun

Mistake: "Saying 'Ella es ridículo' when meaning 'She is ridiculous' (adjective)."

Correction: Use the adjective form 'Ella es ridícula'. Use 'el ridículo' only for the concept of mockery or the phrase 'hacer el ridículo'.

⭐ Usage Tips

The Essential Phrase

The most important use of the noun is in the common phrase 'hacer el ridículo,' which is how you say 'to make a fool of yourself' or 'to embarrass yourself.'

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: ridículo

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses the noun form of 'ridículo'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

ridiculizar(to ridicule) - verb

ridiculez(ridiculousness) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'ridículo' used to mean funny, like a joke?

Not usually. In Spanish, 'ridículo' almost always carries a negative connotation of being absurd, silly, or deserving of mockery. For something that is just funny in a positive way, you would use words like 'gracioso' or 'chistoso'.

What's the difference between 'ser ridículo' and 'estar ridículo'?

Use 'ser ridículo' (Ser) to describe someone's permanent trait or behavior ('He is a ridiculous person'). Use 'estar ridículo' (Estar) to describe a temporary state, usually relating to clothing or appearance at a moment in time ('You look ridiculous in that outfit right now').