Ways to say it
| Polish | IPA |
|---|---|
| głupi | /ˈɡwu.pi/ /ˈɡɫu.pi/ (Middle, Polish) |
| durny | /ˈdur.nɘ/ |
| tępy | /ˈtɛm.pɘ/ |
| tępogłowy |
The primary term for lacking intelligence is głupi. You may also encounter durny. If you want to describe a lack of thoughtfulness or foresight, you can use the term Niedomyślny. For a very informal way to call someone an "ordinary idiot", you can use the phrase Zwyczajny idiota.
Which one should you use?
While tępy can be used to mean stupid, its literal meaning refers to an object that is blunt or not sharp. Tępogłowy is a more insulting and aggressive way to call someone stupid compared to the standard głupi. Additionally, note that głupiec is a noun meaning "a fool", whereas głupi is the adjective "stupid".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Greater Poland dialect, the informal terms buca and buciarz are used to describe someone who behaves stupidly or clumsily.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Use głupia when describing a feminine noun or person, and use głupie for neuter nouns, such as głupie pytanie (a stupid question).
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈɡwu.pi/. It has two syllables and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- The word tępogłowy literally translates to 'blunt-headed', combining the word for a dull blade with the word for head.
- Polish uses the word głupi to describe sounds that are 'silly' or 'absurd', a usage that does not always translate directly to 'stupid' in English.
- The adjective durny comes from the Proto-Slavic root *durьnъ, which is a distinct linguistic ancestor from the more common głupi.
Examples in context
- Tom nie jest głupi.Tom isn't stupid.This sentence shows how to use głupi in a negative statement.Tatoeba #3500000 by jeedrek, translation #1024679 by CK
- Nie głupio ci teraz?Now don't you feel stupid?This sentence uses the adverbial form of the word to ask about one's feelings.Tatoeba #3487691 by Siganiv, translation #2276672 by CK
- Czy to brzmi głupio?Does this sound stupid?This sentence demonstrates how to use the word to ask about the quality of a sound.Tatoeba #5489457 by rubber_duck, translation #2819019 by Hybrid
- On naprawdę zachowuje się jak głupek.He really acts like a fool.
- 109 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Agnieszka and Krzysztof are discussing a bad decision.
- AgnieszkaTo był naprawdę głupi pomysł.That was a really stupid idea.
- KrzysztofWiem, ale nie myślałem o tym.I know, but I didn't think about it.
- AgnieszkaCzasami zachowujesz się jak głupi chłopak.Sometimes you act like a stupid boy.
- KrzysztofPrzepraszam, postaram się bardziej uważać.I'm sorry, I'll try to be more careful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “stupid” translations and entries głupi, durny, tępy, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries durny, głupi, tępy, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
