Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| aburrido | /abuˈrido/ | |
| tedioso | /teˈdjoso/ | |
| fome | /ˈfome/ | |
| aburridor | /aburiˈdoɾ/ | |
| mazacotudo | /maθakotudo/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /masakotudo/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
|
| muermo | /ˈmweɾmo/ | masculine |
The primary way to describe something that causes boredom or tiredness is by using aburrido. Depending on the context, you might also use tedioso for things that are tedious or slow or insípido to describe something that is dull and lacks flavor or interest. If you want to describe something as repetitive or monotonous, monótono is used.
Which one should you use?
While aburrido is the standard term for boring, tedioso is specifically used for things that are boring because they are long, slow or repetitive. In Spain, you might hear the expression un rollo to describe something that is particularly dull.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Muermo is a colloquial masculine term. Other terms like aburridor and mazacotudo can also be used.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Chile, the word fome is a common colloquial way to say boring.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective aburrido must agree in gender and number with the noun it describes: use aburrida for feminine singular nouns, aburridos or aburridas for plural nouns. A critical distinction in meaning is made by the verb used: using ser with aburrido (ser aburrido) means someone or something is inherently boring, whereas using estar (estar aburrido) means someone is feeling bored.
How do you pronounce it?
/abuˈrido/
Did you know?
- The colloquial term muermo used to describe a boring person is actually derived from the Latin word morbus, which means 'disease' or 'illness'.
- In Spain, describing a situation as un rollo literally translates to 'a roll', but it is used to signal that something is incredibly dull.
- The term mazacotudo is used for someone boring, but it carries a connotation of being heavy-handed, blunt, or lacking any finesse.
Examples in context
- Tom no es aburrido.Tom isn't boring.This sentence uses aburrido to describe a person's character.Tatoeba #4935977 by cueyayotl, translation #2244683 by CK
- El golf es aburrido.Golf is boring.This sentence uses aburrido to describe an activity.Tatoeba #6957986 by albrusgher, translation #2588462 by Hybrid
- ¿Yo era tan aburrido?Was I really boring?This sentence uses aburrido to ask about a past state of being boring.Tatoeba #1216451 by wallebot, translation #25495 by CK
- La conferencia fue aburridaThe conference was boring
- El trabajo diario puede volverse monótonoDaily work can become monotonous
- La película fue insípidaThe movie was boring
- La reunión fue un rolloThe meeting was boring
- No me gustó la obra de teatro, fue muy aburridaI didn't like the play, it was very boring
- El entrenamiento de fútbol de hoy fue extremadamente aburridoToday's soccer training was extremely boring
- 82 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are watching a movie together.
- LucíaEsta película es muy aburrida.This movie is very boring.
- JavierTienes razón, Javier está cansado.You are right, Javier is tired.
- LucíaBusquemos algo menos aburrido.Let's look for something less boring.
- JavierDe acuerdo, Lucía, cambiemos el canal.Agreed, Lucía, let's change the channel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “boring” translations and entries aburrido, tedioso, fome, aburridor, muermo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries aburrido, fome, muermo, tedioso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
