Inklingo

How to Say "crazy person" in Spanish

English → Spanish

loco

/LOH-koh//ˈlo.ko/

nounB1informal
Use 'loco' when referring to someone who is acting in a crazy or irrational way, or is generally considered to be mentally unstable in a common, informal context.
A whimsical illustration of an eccentric man wearing mismatched clothes and a funny hat, representing a 'crazy person'.

Examples

No le hagas caso a ese loco.

Don't pay attention to that crazy person.

Solo un loco conduciría con esta tormenta.

Only a madman would drive in this storm.

¡Qué hacés, loco! ¿Todo bien?

What's up, man! All good?

Feminine and Plural Forms

Just like the adjective, the noun form also changes. A female crazy person is a 'loca'. A group of them would be 'locos' (all male or mixed group) or 'locas' (all female).

cabra

/kah-brah//ˈkaβɾa/

nounB2informal
Use 'cabra' figuratively to describe someone who is acting very eccentrically, wildly, or unpredictably, often in a humorous or exasperated way.
A person wearing brightly colored, mismatched clothing is leaping wildly and joyfully high into the air with their arms flung out.

Examples

Mi abuela está como una cabra, siempre bailando sola en el jardín.

My grandma is crazy/nuts, always dancing alone in the garden.

Solo a una cabra se le ocurriría subir esa montaña sin equipo.

Only a crazy person (nutcase) would think of climbing that mountain without equipment.

Fixed Phrase

This meaning is almost always used within the fixed phrase 'estar como una cabra' (to be like a goat). The word 'cabra' stays feminine even if you are talking about a man.

Using 'loco' instead of 'cabra'

Mistake: “Mi amigo es una cabra.”

Correction: While understandable, it is much more natural to say 'Mi amigo está como una cabra' when referring to a person's behavior.

demente

deh-MEN-teh/deˈmente/

nounB2formal
Use 'demente' when referring to someone who is mentally ill or insane, particularly in a more formal or clinical context, or when describing a serious mental condition.
A storybook illustration portrait of an eccentric, wild-haired elderly man with a long, untrimmed white beard, wearing brightly colored, mismatched clothing, emphasizing the character of a 'madman.'

Examples

El demente escapó del hospital psiquiátrico.

The madman escaped from the psychiatric hospital.

La demente fue detenida después de causar destrozos.

The lunatic (female) was detained after causing damage.

Referring to People

When 'demente' is used as a noun, it refers to the person. You must use the correct article ('el' for a man, 'la' for a woman) even though the word 'demente' itself doesn't change: 'el demente' / 'la demente'.

Informal vs. Formal

Learners often confuse 'loco' and 'demente'. Remember that 'loco' is generally informal and can describe erratic behavior, while 'demente' is more formal and specifically refers to mental illness or insanity.

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