idiota
neutral, insult
The standard word for "idiot" in Brazil is idiota. Brazilians also say babaca in casual speech, and burro means "dumb" or literally "donkey".
Meaning: foolish person (noun)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | Note |
|---|---|
| idiota | neutral, insult |
| Babaca | slang, Brazil, rude |
| Burro | insult |
Idiota is the same for men and women. Babaca is a common Brazilian insult for someone who acts stupidly or unfairly and it is rude.
Which one should you use?
Burro is about lack of intelligence and the feminine is burra. Idiota and babaca are more about how someone behaves.
What mistakes should you avoid?
All three are insults. With friends they can be teasing, but with strangers or elders they can start a fight.
Did you know?
- Idiota comes from the Greek word for a private person, and in Portuguese it settled on the meaning of "fool".
Examples in context
- Não seja idiota.Do not be an idiot.
- Aquele cara é um babaca.That guy is a jerk.
- Que burro eu fui!How dumb I was!
Example conversation
Léo tells his friend Caio about a driver who cut him off in São Paulo traffic.
- LéoUm idiota me fechou no sinal.An idiot cut me off at the light.
- CaioQue babaca!What a jerk!
- LéoAinda bem que ninguém se machucou.Luckily nobody got hurt.
