Inklingo
← Dictionary

tontos

/TOHN-tohs/

silly

Two cartoonish children, wearing mismatched clothing, happily performing a harmlessly silly action like wearing pots on their heads as hats and sticking their tongues out.

These children are being silly (tontos) by wearing cooking pots on their heads.

tontos(adjective)

mA2

silly

?

describing people or actions

Also:

foolish

?

describing ideas or comments

,

stupid

?

stronger description

📝 In Action

Esos comentarios son muy tontos.

A2

Those comments are very silly/foolish.

Los niños estaban haciendo juegos tontos.

A1

The kids were playing silly games.

No hagas planes tan tontos para el viaje.

B1

Don't make such foolish plans for the trip.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • bobos (silly)
  • ridículos (ridiculous)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • juegos tontos – silly games
  • argumentos tontos – foolish arguments

💡 Grammar Points

Matching Adjectives

Since 'tontos' ends in '-os', it must describe things that are masculine (like 'comentarios') and plural (more than one). If you were describing a single feminine thing, you would use 'tonta'.

⭐ Usage Tips

Tonto vs. Estúpido

'Tonto' is generally softer and more forgiving than 'estúpido.' Use 'tonto' for harmless silliness, and 'estúpido' only when you mean truly dense or want to be highly insulting.

Two confused figures standing in a sunny field, holding large inverted umbrellas, foolishly trying to catch non-existent rain.

When people act like fools (tontos), they might try to catch rain on a sunny day.

tontos(noun)

mB1

fools

?

people who are stupid or misled

Also:

idiots

?

stronger, more insulting term

📝 In Action

¡No seáis tontos! Eso es una trampa obvia.

B1

Don't be fools! That is an obvious trap.

Mis hermanos son unos tontos, siempre pelean.

B2

My brothers are a bunch of idiots, they always fight.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • necios (fools)
  • mentecatos (idiots)

Antonyms

Idioms & Expressions

  • hacerse los tontos – to play dumb / pretend not to know

💡 Grammar Points

Using the Article

When 'tontos' is used as a noun (meaning 'the fools'), it usually needs an article (like 'los' or 'unos') in front of it: 'Los tontos' (The fools).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Mixing Gender

Mistake: "Using 'tontos' to describe an all-female group (e.g., 'Las chicas son tontos')."

Correction: Use 'tontas' for all-female groups: 'Las chicas son tontas.' Remember, 'tontos' is used for mixed groups or all-male groups.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: tontos

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'tontos' as a noun?

📚 More Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'tontos' a serious insult?

Usually not. While it means 'stupid' or 'foolish,' it is often used lightly, especially among friends or when describing harmless mistakes. 'Estúpido' is much stronger and more offensive.

How do I know if 'tontos' is an adjective or a noun?

If it follows a verb like 'ser' or 'estar' (to be) and describes another word (like 'comentarios tontos'), it's an adjective. If it has 'los' or 'unos' in front of it and is the main subject/object ('Los tontos hicieron ruido'), it's a noun (the fools).