tonterías
“tonterías” means “nonsense” in Spanish (when talking about foolish words or ideas).
nonsense, silly things
Also: foolishness, rubbish
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Por favor, deja de decir tonterías y habla en serio.
A2Please stop talking nonsense and speak seriously.
Siempre pierdes el tiempo con esas tonterías en internet.
B1You always waste time with those silly things on the internet.
Cuando le pregunté por el dinero, me salió con un montón de tonterías.
B2When I asked him about the money, he gave me a bunch of rubbish/excuses.
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "tonterías" in Spanish:
silly things→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: tonterías
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'tonterías' to dismiss a friend's ridiculous plan?
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👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the root adjective *tonto* (silly/stupid), which likely originated from an older word or perhaps an onomatopoeic sound meant to imply dullness or stupidity. The suffix *-ería* turns the quality into the concept of 'things related to that quality' (like *panadería* is the place for *pan*).
First recorded: 15th century
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'tontería' (singular) and 'tonterías' (plural)?
While 'tontería' refers to one specific silly action or object ('That was a silly thing to do'), 'tonterías' is much more common and is used generally to mean 'nonsense,' 'foolish behavior,' or 'silly talk' as a category.