stupido
/ˈstu.pi.do/
The Italian word for dumb is stupido.
The word stupido is used to describe a lack of intelligence. Note that if you mean the English sense of 'dumb' as in being unable to speak, you should use the word muto instead.
Meaning: stupid (adj)
Which one should you use?
While stupido refers specifically to a lack of intelligence, the English word 'dumb' can sometimes mean 'mute', which in Italian is expressed by muto.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For more informal or colloquial settings, you can use scemo to mean dumb or silly or the more intense informal term cretino to express a stronger degree of stupidity.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective stupido must agree in gender and number with the person or thing it describes. Use stupida for a feminine subject, stupidi for a group of males or a mixed-gender group and stupide for a group of females.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈstu.pi.do/. The stress is on the first of the three syllables.
Did you know?
- The word cretino shares the same root as the Greek word for 'judge', but evolved into a medical term for a specific thyroid deficiency before becoming a general insult.
- The word stupido comes from the Latin stupidus, which originally described a state of being stunned or struck with amazement rather than just lacking intelligence.
- In a very common Italian idiom, instead of saying someone is 'dumb', you might say they are fuori di senno, which literally translates to 'out of their senses'.
Examples in context
- Lui non è stupido.He is not dumb.This sentence is useful for showing how to negate the adjective stupido.Tatoeba #2550073 by Guybrush88, translation #1981738 by AryKiss
- Tom non è stupido.Tom isn't dumb.Tatoeba #2608264 by Guybrush88, translation #2236962 by CK
- È stupido e brutto.You're dumb and ugly.This sentence is useful for using stupido alongside another adjective.Tatoeba #11222152 by Guybrush88, translation #11190056 by Amastan
- Non posso credere che hai fatto quell'errore stupido!I can't believe you made that dumb mistake!
- Hai sentito cosa ha detto Luigi? È proprio scemo!Did you hear what Luigi said? He's so dumb!
- 21 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matteo and Martina are talking about a bad movie they just watched.
- MatteoQuel film era davvero stupido.That movie was really stupid.
- MartinaSì, la trama era assurda.Yes, the plot was absurd.
- MatteoNon ho capito il senso.I didn't understand the point.
- MartinaNemmeno io, Matteo.Neither did I, Matteo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dumb” translations and entries stupido, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries stupido, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
