¿eres tonto?
The English phrase "are you dumb?" is translated into Spanish as ¿eres tonto?
This phrase is a rhetorical question used to express disbelief or frustration regarding someone's lack of intelligence or common sense. While tonto can sometimes mean "silly" or "foolish" in a lighthearted context, when used as this specific rhetorical question, it functions as "are you dumb?"
Which one should you use?
If you are addressing a woman, you must change the adjective to the feminine form ¿eres tonta?
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
If you want to be more aggressive and insulting, you can use the more intense phrase ¿eres estúpido?
Did you know?
- One theory suggests tonto comes from the Latin tondeo, meaning 'to shear'. This implies the word originally compared a foolish person to a sheep that had been shorn.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, calling someone tonto is common between romantic partners or close friends as a term of endearment, which contradicts its use as an insult.
Examples in context
- No me digas eso, ¿eres tonto?Don't tell me that, are you dumb?
- ¡¿Eres tonto?! Eso es muy peligroso.Are you dumb?! That is very dangerous.
Example conversation
Alejandro sees Elena trying to open a door that says push by pulling it.
- Alejandro¿Eres tonto? Dice empujar.Are you dumb? It says push.
- ElenaLo siento, no lo vi.I'm sorry, I didn't see it.
- AlejandroEs muy obvio, Elena.It's very obvious, Elena.
- ElenaYa lo abrí, deja de molestar.I opened it now, stop bothering me.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries eres, tonto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
