Which one should you use?
While tonto can refer to a lack of intelligence, it is often used more lightly to mean 'silly' or 'foolish' depending on the context. For a much stronger and more insulting way to call someone a dumb person, you might use idiota.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
tonto/a are informal. For more formal situations, you can use phrases such as Persona poco inteligente, Persona con falta de inteligencia or Persona de baja capacidad intelectual. In informal speech, you may also hear bobo/a to mean someone is foolish or silly.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, the term boludo/a is used to describe a dumb person. In Mexico, pendejo/a is an informal term used to describe a dumb person.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word tonto must agree with the subject it describes. Use tonta for a dumb woman and tontos for a group of people or a mixed-gender group.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtonto/
Did you know?
- One theory suggests tonto comes from the Latin word tondeo, meaning 'to shear'. This implies the word originally described someone who had been shorn like a sheep.
- If you are in Argentina, calling someone boludo/a might actually be a sign of friendship rather than an insult, depending on the social closeness.
Examples in context
- El profesor considera que Juan es una persona poco inteligente.The teacher considers Juan to be a dumb person.
- Mi amigo es realmente tonto, siempre hace cosas absurdas.My friend is really dumb, he always does absurd things.
- Ese hombre es un tonto.That man is a dumb person.
- A veces me siento un tonto.Sometimes I feel like a dumb person.
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are discussing a mistake Alejandro made.
- Lucía¡Qué error cometiste, Alejandro!What a mistake you made, Alejandro!
- AlejandroLo siento, me porté como un tonto.I am sorry, I acted like a dumb person.
- LucíaNo te preocupes, a todos nos pasa.Don't worry, it happens to everyone.
- AlejandroGracias por ser tan comprensiva.Thank you for being so understanding.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry tonto, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tonto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
