How to Say "buffoon" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “buffoon” is “bufón” — use 'bufón' when referring to someone acting foolishly or ridiculously, often to draw attention to themselves, without necessarily being a professional entertainer.
bufón
Examples
Deja de actuar como un bufón y ponte a trabajar.
Stop acting like a buffoon and get to work.
tony
toh-neeˈtoni
Examples
El tony del circo nos hizo reír mucho con sus zapatos gigantes.
The circus clown made us laugh a lot with his giant shoes.
En las fiestas infantiles de mi barrio, siempre contratan a un tony.
In my neighborhood's kids' parties, they always hire a clown.
Ese actor tiene alma de tony; siempre está haciendo bromas pesadas.
That actor has the soul of a buffoon; he's always playing practical jokes.
A Name used as a Label
This word started as a nickname but became a common word for a clown. You don't need to capitalize it when you mean 'clown.'
Identifying the Gender
While usually masculine ('el tony'), if referring to a female clown, you might hear 'la tony,' though 'payasa' is much more common for women.
Regional Awareness
Mistake: “Using 'tony' in Mexico to mean clown.”
Correction: Use 'payaso' instead. In Mexico, 'tony' is only understood as a person's name (Tony).
Bufón vs. Tony
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.