Inklingo

How to Say "stupid" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “stupid” is “tonto” — use this word for general silliness or foolishness, often less offensive and sometimes implying simple-mindedness rather than outright lack of intelligence..

tonto🔊A2

Use this word for general silliness or foolishness, often less offensive and sometimes implying simple-mindedness rather than outright lack of intelligence.

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estúpidoB1

This is the most direct translation of 'stupid' and is used for actions or ideas that clearly lack intelligence or common sense.

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idiota🔊B1

Use this when referring to a person or a decision that is incredibly foolish or shows a complete lack of sense, often implying a stronger insult than 'estúpido'.

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bruto🔊B1

This term describes someone or something that is rough, unrefined, or acts without thinking, implying a lack of intelligence or common sense in a more physical or unthinking way.

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animal🔊B2

Use this informal term to describe someone acting foolishly or clumsily, implying they are behaving like an unintelligent creature.

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cretino🔊B2

This word describes a specific action or idea as idiotic or foolish, emphasizing the nonsensical nature of the behavior.

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imbécilesB2

Use this plural adjective to describe multiple people or a set of actions/ideas that are extremely foolish or lacking in sense.

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English → Spanish

tonto

/TON-toh//ˈtonto/

AdjectiveA2General
Use this word for general silliness or foolishness, often less offensive and sometimes implying simple-mindedness rather than outright lack of intelligence.
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.

estúpido

AdjectiveB1General
This is the most direct translation of 'stupid' and is used for actions or ideas that clearly lack intelligence or common sense.

Examples

Esa fue una idea estúpida.

That was a stupid idea.

idiota

/ee-dee-OH-tah//iˈðjota/

AdjectiveB1General
Use this when referring to a person or a decision that is incredibly foolish or shows a complete lack of sense, often implying a stronger insult than 'estúpido'.
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.

bruto

/broo-toh//ˈbɾuto/

adjectiveB1General
This term describes someone or something that is rough, unrefined, or acts without thinking, implying a lack of intelligence or common sense in a more physical or unthinking way.
A simple drawing of a thick, rough-hewn piece of unpolished grey stone.

Examples

No seas tan bruto, vas a romper el juguete.

Don't be so rough, you're going to break the toy.

¡Qué bruto soy! Olvidé las llaves adentro.

How stupid of me! I left the keys inside.

Changing for Gender

Remember to change the ending to 'bruta' if you are describing a woman or a feminine object.

Bruto vs. Grosero

Mistake: “Using 'bruto' to mean 'rude' in a polite sense.”

Correction: Use 'bruto' for someone who is rough or clumsy; use 'grosero' if they are being mean or impolite with words.

animal

/a-ni-'mal//a.niˈmal/

AdjectiveB2Informal
Use this informal term to describe someone acting foolishly or clumsily, implying they are behaving like an unintelligent creature.
A simple illustration of a person stumbling and dropping several boxes, showing clumsiness.

Examples

¡Qué animal! Rompió el jarrón por no mirar.

How clumsy (or 'what an idiot')! He broke the vase because he wasn't looking.

Este conductor es muy animal, va a 140 km/h en la ciudad.

This driver is very reckless, he’s going 140 km/h in the city.

Informal Adjective Use

When used this way, animal is often used as a descriptive noun/adjective that usually means 'reckless person' or 'oaf' and is applied directly to the person being criticized.

Using the literal meaning

Mistake: “Un policía le dijo que era un animal (expecting him to be literally a non-human creature).”

Correction: This is almost always hyperbole, meaning the person is acting wildly or irresponsibly, not that they are literally a beast.

cretino

/kreh-TEE-noh//kɾeˈtino/

adjectiveB2General
This word describes a specific action or idea as idiotic or foolish, emphasizing the nonsensical nature of the behavior.
A person smiling foolishly while using a watering can to pour water directly onto a small fish swimming inside a glass bowl.

Examples

Fue una idea cretina cruzar la calle sin mirar.

It was an idiotic idea to cross the street without looking.

Su actitud cretina nos hizo perder el autobús.

His stupid attitude made us miss the bus.

Adjective Agreement

As an adjective, 'cretino' must match the noun it describes in both number (singular/plural) and gender (masculine/feminine). E.g., 'decisiones cretinas' (plural, feminine).

Using 'ser' vs. 'estar'

Mistake: “Using 'Está cretino' (He is temporarily acting stupid).”

Correction: Use 'Ser': 'Es cretino' (He is inherently/always an idiot). Traits that are considered defining characteristics usually use the verb 'ser'.

imbéciles

adjectiveB2General
Use this plural adjective to describe multiple people or a set of actions/ideas that are extremely foolish or lacking in sense.

Examples

Tomaron decisiones muy imbéciles.

They made very stupid decisions.

Tonto vs. Estúpido

Learners often confuse 'tonto' and 'estúpido'. Remember that 'tonto' can range from 'silly' to 'foolish' and is often milder, while 'estúpido' is a more direct and stronger translation for 'stupid' implying a clearer lack of intelligence.

Related Translations

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