Spanish · Emotions & Descriptions
"Stupid" in Spanish: tonto/a
tonto/a
Stupid in Spanish is often tonto or tonta. Say Fue un error tonto. Calling a person tonto can sting, so soften with un poco tonto when you must.
After a typo
Fue un error tonto, nada grave.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce tonto/a
Say it
TOHN-toh / TOHN-tah
/ˈton.to/, /ˈton.ta/
TOHN-toh / TOHN-tah. Stress TOHN. Clear t; short o.
"Stupid" in Spanish: quick reference
| Spanish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| tonto | silly / stupid (masc.) Softer than English stupid in many contexts. | Softer than English stupid in many contexts. |
| tonta | silly / stupid (fem.) Feminine form. | Feminine form. |
| un error tonto | a silly mistake Safer: blame the mistake, not the person. | Safer: blame the mistake, not the person. |
| no seas tonto | don't be silly Can sound scolding—watch tone. | Can sound scolding—watch tone. |
How to use tonto/a in real life
- 1After a typo
Fue un error tonto, nada grave.
It was a silly mistake, nothing serious.
Error tonto softens blame.
- 2Self-teasing
Estuve tonta y olvidé las llaves.
I was silly and forgot the keys.
Tonta agrees with a woman speaker.
- 3Movie plot
Ese plan tonto no iba a funcionar.
That stupid plan wasn’t going to work.
Tonto describes the plan.
Mistakes English speakers make with tonto/a
Incorrect: Ella es tonto.
Correct: Ella es tonta.
Agree gender: tonta with ella.
Incorrect: Eres stupid.
Correct: Eres tonto. / Fue un error tonto.
Use tonto/tonta, or blame the mistake instead.
Good to know
Tonto/a is milder than English stupid in many Latin American chats, but calling someone tonto still hurts. Prefer un error tonto. Estúpido/a exists and sounds stronger and ruder.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Fixing a silly scheduling mix-up
ChatPal
Fue un olvido tonto. Yo también me equivoco.
It was a silly slip. I mess up too.
You
Gracias. Me sentí tonto al ver el WhatsApp.
Thanks. I felt stupid when I saw the WhatsApp.
ChatPal
No digas tonto. Reagendamos y listo.
Don’t say stupid. We’ll reschedule and done.
You
Perfecto. Mañana a la misma hora.
Perfect. Tomorrow at the same time.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Stupid" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Stupid" in Spanish
How does gender work?
Tonto (m.), tonta (f.), plurals tontos / tontas.
Is tonto rude?
It can be. Softer: un error tonto. Avoid calling people tonto casually.
Tonto vs estúpido?
Estúpido sounds stronger and ruder. Tonto is milder but still careful.
How do I say a silly mistake?
Un error tonto. or Una tontería.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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