idiota
/iˈdjota/feminine, masculine
The Spanish word for idiot is idiota.
idiota is a noun used to describe a person of low general intelligence. It is also frequently used as an adjective to describe someone's behavior or a specific action.
Meaning: person of low general intelligence (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
The terms tarado and tarada are colloquial terms for idiot used in parts of Latin America, such as Argentina and Uruguay.
How does it change in a sentence?
idiota is an invariable noun, meaning it uses the same form for both masculine and feminine subjects.
How do you pronounce it?
/iˈdjota/
Did you know?
- The word idiota originally had nothing to do with intelligence, but instead referred to a 'layman' or someone who was not a specialist in public affairs.
- Spanish has a specific category of 'insults' that can be used as terms of endearment between very close friends, where idiota may be used affectionately.
- In Spanish, an idiota can be used to describe an object or a situation that is absurd, rather than just a person.
Examples in context
- Él no es idiota.He's not an idiot.This sentence shows how to use idiota in a negative statement about someone.Tatoeba #1237093 by Shishir, translation #840139 by papabear
- ¿Eres idiota o qué?Are you an idiot or what?This sentence shows how to use idiota in a rhetorical question.Tatoeba #2680839 by Mavry, translation #2681451 by iainmb93
- ¡Qué idiota que soy!What an idiot I am!This sentence shows how to use idiota to express self-criticism.Tatoeba #943846 by hayastan, translation #410599 by CK
- No seas necio y escucha los consejos.Don't be foolish and listen to the advice.
- Me parece una decisión estúpida, señor.That seems like a foolish decision, sir.
- ¡Deja de comportarte como un bobo!Stop acting like an idiot!
- Ese tipo es un gilipollas, no vale la pena hablarle.That guy is an idiot, not worth talking to.
- ¿Por qué eres tan tarado? No entiendes nada.Why are you such an idiot? You don't understand anything.
- 99 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are talking about a movie character's bad decisions.
- DanielEste personaje es un idiota.This character is an idiot.
- SofíaTienes razón, hace todo mal.You're right, he does everything wrong.
- DanielNo entiendo por qué actúa así.I don't understand why he acts like that.
- SofíaEs que es un idiota total.It's just that he is a total idiot.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “idiot” translations and entries idiota, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries idiota, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
