tonto
/ˈtonto/
In Spanish, the word for silly is tonto. Wiktionary also lists bobo.
Meaning: foolish, showing a lack of good sense and wisdom (adj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| tonto | /ˈtonto/ |
| bobo | /ˈbobo/ |
These terms are used to describe someone showing a lack of good sense or wisdom. You might use the phrase No seas tonto to tell someone they are being foolish or shouldn't take something so seriously.
Which one should you use?
The words vary in intensity and intent. bobo is a much milder, informal term that often implies a person is being naive or harmless. In contrast, tonto carries a stronger weight and can imply actual stupidity or a lack of intelligence, making it more derogatory.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adjectives in Spanish must agree in gender and number with the person they describe. For a female, use tonta. To describe a group of men or a mixed-gender group, use the masculine plural form tontos.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtonto/
Did you know?
- While tonto is often an insult, it is frequently used as a term of endearment between couples or close friends in many Spanish-speaking cultures.
- Some linguists suggest that tonto might actually be related to the Latin word tondeo, meaning 'to shear' or 'to clip' hair.
- The word tonto is not unique to Spanish but is found in similar forms in Italian, Portuguese and Romanian.
Examples in context
- Tom es un tonto.Tom is a silly man.This example shows how to use tonto to describe a person.Tatoeba #1844195 by hayastan, translation #1527000 by Spamster
- No seas tan tonto.Don't be so silly.This example uses tonto to tell someone not to be silly.Tatoeba #1210406 by cueyayotl, translation #1209940 by Scott
- Sé que suena tonto.I know it sounds silly.This example uses tonto to describe how something sounds.Tatoeba #4398461 by pchamorro, translation #3375759 by CK
- El chiste que contó Juan fue muy tonto.The joke that Juan told was very silly.
- No pongas esa cara tan bobalicona.Don't make that silly face.
- ¡Ese payaso es muy chistoso!That clown is really silly/funny!
- Ana siempre hace cosas muy graciosas.Ana always does silly/funny things.
- Francisco siempre tiene ideas chifladas.Francisco always has silly/crazy ideas.
- Qué tontería dices.What a silly thing you're saying.
- ¡Eres un tonto/a de capirote!You are a complete fool!
- Estás chiflado(a) si crees eso.You're crazy/silly if you believe that.
- ¡No seas bobo(a), no te tires al agua con ropa!Don't be silly, don't jump into the water with your clothes on!
- 16 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A heated argument between two roommates about a broken item.
- Lucía¡Eres un tonto, Alejandro!You are a fool, Alejandro!
- AlejandroNo soy ningún tonto.I am not a fool.
- LucíaPues te portaste como un tonto.Well, you acted like a fool.
- AlejandroLo siento, Lucía.I am sorry, Lucía.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “silly” translations and entries tonto, bobo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bobo, tonto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
