viejo loco
/bjexo loko/from spelling rules
The English phrase "crazy old man" is translated into Spanish as viejo loco.
The term is used to describe an elderly man who behaves in a strange or mentally unstable way.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of viejo (old) and loco (crazy).
Which one should you use?
You might use viejo chiflado or anciano chiflado to say "crazy old man" informally. For a more formal description of an eccentric elderly man, use Señor mayor excéntrico.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
viejo loco is an informal phrase that can be used pejoratively or jokingly depending on the context. For more formal situations, use Señor mayor excéntrico. Other informal alternatives include Viejo chiflado and Anciano chiflado.
How does it change in a sentence?
To refer to multiple people, the plural form of the phrase is viejos locos.
Did you know?
- The word loco may not be Latin in origin, but could instead come from the Andalusian Arabic word láwqa, meaning 'stupid'.
- The term viejo loco can undergo a complete shift in tone, moving from an insult to a term of endearment used between close friends or family members.
- In some contexts, loco is used as a slang intensifier meaning 'very' or 'extremely' rather than describing a mental state.
Examples in context
- Es preocupante cómo ese hombre mayor loco altera la paz en el vecindario.It is concerning how that crazy old man disrupts the peace in the neighborhood.
- Mi tío es un viejo chiflado, siempre contando historias extravagantes.My uncle is a crazy old man, always telling extravagant stories.
- ¡Mi abuelo loco se escapó del asilo de nuevo! ¡Es todo un aventurero!My crazy old man of a grandfather escaped the nursing home again! He's quite the adventurer!
- Ese viejo loco vive hablando solo.That crazy old man lives talking to himself.
- No escuches a ese viejo loco.Don't listen to that crazy old man.
- El vecino es un viejo loco.The neighbor is a crazy old man.
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are walking past a noisy neighbor's house.
- Lucía¿Escuchaste los gritos del vecino?Did you hear the neighbor's shouting?
- MateoSí, es un viejo loco.Yes, he is a crazy old man.
- LucíaMe da un poco de miedo.He scares me a little.
- MateoNo te preocupes, Lucía.Don't worry, Lucía.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries loco, viejo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
