deja de tontear
/dexa de tonteaɾ/from spelling rules
The English phrase "stop messing around" can be translated into Spanish as deja de tontear.
This command is used to tell someone to stop behaving in a silly way or to stop wasting time. While deja de tontear implies a sense of silliness or a lack of seriousness, if you want to be more direct about someone wasting time, you might instead say deja de perder el tiempo.
What does it mean word for word?
The verb tontear is derived from the word tonto (fool or silly person) and literally means to act like a fool or to dawdle.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the plural informal imperative form is dejad de tontear. In Latin America, the plural form used to address a group of people is dejen de tontear.
How does it change in a sentence?
deja de tontear is the singular informal imperative form, which is used when addressing one person you know well.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, if you are 'tonteando' with a romantic interest, it can imply playful flirting rather than just wasting time.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, the word tonto is often used as a term of endearment between couples or close friends and does not always imply a true insult.
- Adding the suffix -ear to tonto creates a verb that describes a continuous or habitual action, a common way Spanish creates informal verbs from adjectives.
Examples in context
- Por favor, deje de hacer tonterías y finalice el informe.Please stop fooling around and finish the report.
- Deja de joder y ayúdame a arreglar esto.Stop messing around and help me fix this.
- Para de hacerte el tonto y dime dónde están las llaves.Stop playing dumb and tell me where the keys are.
- Deja de tontear y ponte a trabajar.Stop messing around and get to work.
- ¡Deja de tontear con la comida!Stop messing around with the food!
- Deja de tontear, tenemos que irnos ya.Stop messing around, we have to leave now.
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are cleaning the living room together.
- LucíaMateo, deja de tontear con la escoba.Mateo, stop messing around with the broom.
- MateoSolo estoy jugando un poco, Lucía.I'm just playing a bit, Lucía.
- LucíaTenemos que terminar esto ahora.We have to finish this now.
- MateoEstá bien, ya me pongo serio.Alright, I'll get serious now.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
