Inklingo

How to Say "gullible" in Spanish

English → Spanish

confiado

kohn-FYAH-doh/konˈfjaðo/

adjectiveB2general
Use 'confiado' when someone is easily tricked because they trust too easily and don't suspect deceit.
A friendly child offering a shiny gold coin to a fox wearing a suit.

Examples

No seas tan confiado, ese hombre podría estar mintiendo.

Don't be so trusting/naive, that man could be lying.

Perdieron el juego por estar demasiado confiados.

They lost the game because they were overconfident.

The Negative Twist

Context is key. If you tell someone 'eres un confiado,' it's often a bit of a criticism, suggesting they believe people too easily.

ingenuo

/een-HEH-nwoh//inˈxenwo/

adjectiveB1general
Use 'ingenuo' when someone is easily fooled due to a lack of experience, sophistication, or awareness of the world's potential for deception.
A wide-eyed child in a colorful garden reaching out to touch a bright red ladybug with a look of pure wonder and trust.

Examples

No seas tan ingenuo, ese correo electrónico es una estafa.

Don't be so naive; that email is a scam.

Ella tiene una mirada ingenua que transmite mucha paz.

She has an innocent look that conveys a lot of peace.

Fue un poco ingenuo al pensar que el trabajo sería fácil.

He was a bit naive to think the job would be easy.

Gender Matching

This word changes its ending based on who you are describing. Use 'ingenuo' for a man and 'ingenua' for a woman.

Ser vs. Estar

Use 'ser' if being naive is part of someone's personality, and 'estar' if they are just acting naive in a specific situation.

Naive vs. Innocent

Mistake: “Using 'inocente' when you mean someone is easily fooled.”

Correction: While 'inocente' means someone hasn't done anything wrong, 'ingenuo' specifically means they trust others too easily.

Confiado vs. Ingenuo

Learners often confuse 'confiado' and 'ingenuo'. Remember that 'confiado' specifically points to being too trusting, while 'ingenuo' is broader, suggesting a lack of worldly wisdom or experience that makes someone easy to fool.

Related Translations

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