Inklingo

How to Say "foolish" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “foolish” is “tonto” — use 'tonto' to describe something or someone lacking good sense or judgment, often in a lighthearted or harmless way, like a silly joke or a simple mistake..

tonto🔊A2

Use 'tonto' to describe something or someone lacking good sense or judgment, often in a lighthearted or harmless way, like a silly joke or a simple mistake.

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bobo🔊A2

Choose 'bobo' when referring to someone who lacks good sense or judgment, often implying a degree of naivety or simple-mindedness, similar to 'silly' or 'dimwitted'.

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idiota🔊B1

Use 'idiota' when describing a decision, action, or idea that is clearly lacking sense and shows a significant lack of intelligence or foresight; it's a stronger term than 'tonto' or 'bobo'.

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estúpidasA2

Employ 'estúpidas' specifically to describe plural actions or ideas that are very lacking in sense, intelligence, or logic, implying they are nonsensical or absurd.

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imbécilesB2

Use 'imbéciles' to describe plural comments, decisions, or actions that are extremely foolish, showing a profound lack of intelligence or good judgment; it's a strong and often critical term.

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English → Spanish

tonto

/TON-toh//ˈtonto/

adjectiveA2General
Use 'tonto' to describe something or someone lacking good sense or judgment, often in a lighthearted or harmless way, like a silly joke or a simple mistake.
A young character standing indoors holding an open umbrella while sunlight streams through a window, illustrating a silly or foolish moment.

Examples

Fue una broma tonta, pero todos nos reímos.

It was a silly joke, but we all laughed.

No seas tonto, claro que puedes hacerlo.

Don't be silly, of course you can do it.

Me siento tonta por haber olvidado las llaves.

I feel foolish for having forgotten the keys.

Matching the Noun

Like many describing words in Spanish, 'tonto' changes to match the person or thing it's describing. Use 'tonto' for masculine things ('el niño tonto') and 'tonta' for feminine things ('la idea tonta'). For groups, use 'tontos' or 'tontas'.

Forgetting to Change the Ending

Mistake: “La chica es tonto.”

Correction: Say 'La chica es tonta.' Describing words almost always need to match the gender (masculine/feminine) of the noun they describe.

bobo

BOH-boh/ˈboβo/

adjectiveA2General
Choose 'bobo' when referring to someone who lacks good sense or judgment, often implying a degree of naivety or simple-mindedness, similar to 'silly' or 'dimwitted'.
A child giggling while wearing a brightly colored, oversized sock on their head like a hat, illustrating lighthearted silliness.

Examples

Mi hermano es muy bobo; siempre se ríe de sus propios chistes.

My brother is very silly; he always laughs at his own jokes.

No seas tan boba y revisa el contrato antes de firmar.

Don't be so foolish and check the contract before signing.

Fue una idea muy boba salir sin paraguas cuando estaba lloviendo.

It was a very silly idea to go out without an umbrella when it was raining.

Adjective Agreement

'Bobo' must change its ending to match the person it describes: 'bobo' for males and 'boba' for females. Use 'bobos' or 'bobas' for groups.

Confusing Ser and Estar

Mistake: “Using 'estar bobo'.”

Correction: Use 'ser bobo' (to be a silly person in general). You only use 'estar' if someone is temporarily stunned or dazed: 'Estaba bobo después del golpe' (He was dazed after the hit).

idiota

/ee-dee-OH-tah//iˈðjota/

adjectiveB1General
Use 'idiota' when describing a decision, action, or idea that is clearly lacking sense and shows a significant lack of intelligence or foresight; it's a stronger term than 'tonto' or 'bobo'.
A brightly colored bicycle resting on a flat surface, but instead of round wheels, it has large, impractical square wooden wheels, representing a stupid design.

Examples

Fue una decisión idiota vender el coche.

It was an idiotic decision to sell the car.

Me hizo una pregunta totalmente idiota.

He asked me a totally stupid question.

An Adjective That Doesn't Change Its Ending

'Idiota' is special because its ending doesn't change for masculine or feminine things. It's always 'idiota'. For example: 'un plan idiota' (a stupid plan) and 'una idea idiota' (a stupid idea).

Trying to Make it Masculine

Mistake: “Quiso hacer un chiste idioto.”

Correction: Say 'un chiste idiota'. The word 'idiota' always ends in '-a', even when it's describing a masculine noun.

estúpidas

adjectiveA2General
Employ 'estúpidas' specifically to describe plural actions or ideas that are very lacking in sense, intelligence, or logic, implying they are nonsensical or absurd.

Examples

Tus excusas son realmente estúpidas, no te creo.

Your excuses are really stupid, I don't believe you.

imbéciles

adjectiveB2General
Use 'imbéciles' to describe plural comments, decisions, or actions that are extremely foolish, showing a profound lack of intelligence or good judgment; it's a strong and often critical term.

Examples

Tomaron decisiones muy imbéciles.

They made very stupid decisions.

Choosing Between 'Tonto', 'Bobo', and 'Idiota'

Learners often confuse 'tonto' and 'bobo', as both can mean 'silly' or 'foolish'. 'Tonto' is generally more common and can apply to actions or people lightly. 'Bobo' often carries a slightly stronger sense of naivety. 'Idiota' is a more serious insult, used for actions or decisions that are clearly unintelligent or nonsensical.

Related Translations

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