idiot
/idǐot/Latin, masculine
The Bosnian word for "idiot" is idiot. Wiktionary also lists idiotkinja.
Meaning: person of low general intelligence (noun)
Ways to say it
| Bosnian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| idiot | /idǐot/ | Latin, masculine |
| idiotkinja | Latin, feminine |
The term is used to describe a person of low general intelligence. Another way to depict someone as an idiot or a jerk is to use the word Kreten.
Which one should you use?
While idiotka is the standard feminine form, idiotkinja is also used to denote a female idiot.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine form idiot changes to idiota when it is the direct object of a sentence (the accusative case). The feminine noun can be expressed as either idiotka or idiotkinja.
How do you pronounce it?
/idǐot/
Did you know?
- Unlike in English where 'idiot' is almost always an insult, in some Bosnian contexts, saying Koji sam idiot meaning 'What an idiot I am' is a common way to admit a clumsy mistake.
- The Greek ancestor of the word idiot originally described a 'private citizen' who stayed out of public life, rather than someone lacking intelligence.
- The term idiot is frequently paired with the word potpuni meaning 'complete' to create the phrase potpuni idiot, which is a common hyperbolic idiom.
Examples in context
- Pamet ti nije jača strana!Your intelligence isn't your strong suit!
- On je pravi idiot.He is a real idiot.
- Nisam želio biti idiot.I did not want to be an idiot.
- Taj čovjek je obični idiot.That man is a complete idiot.
Example conversation
Selma and Adnan are discussing a bad decision made by a friend.
- SelmaDa li možeš vjerovati šta je uradio?Can you believe what he did?
- AdnanNe mogu, on je totalni idiot.I can't, he is a total idiot.
- SelmaUvijek donosi najgore odluke.He always makes the worst decisions.
- AdnanZato ga svi tako zovu.That is why everyone calls him that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “idiot” translations and entries idiot, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries idiot, CC BY-SA 4.0.
