tonto
/ˈtonto/
The English phrase "you dummy" is translated into Spanish as tonto.
tonto is an informal and often playful term used to call someone foolish or unintelligent. You can also use the exclamation ¡Qué tonto! to express "How silly!" or "What a dummy!" when someone makes a mistake. For a light-hearted and common way to affectionately tease someone, you might also use bobo/a.
Which one should you use?
While tonto is often playful or mild, the word estúpido is generally more offensive and carries a harsher tone. To make the term sound even more affectionate or playful, you can use the diminutive form tontuelo, which translates to "little dummy".
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the word changes based on who you are addressing: use tonta if you are addressing a female, and use tontos when addressing a group of males or a mixed-gender group. If you are addressing a group consisting only of females, use tontas.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtonto/
Did you know?
- The word tonto may be related to the Latin word tondeo, which means 'to shear' or 'to clip'. This suggests the term originally compared a foolish person to a shorn sheep.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, calling someone tonto with a specific affectionate tone can actually signal deep intimacy or love between partners or family members.
- The word tonto is often used as a mild adjective to describe a 'silly' mistake rather than a person's actual intelligence, such as saying una pregunta tonta for 'a silly question'.
Examples in context
- Eres un poco tonto/aYou're a bit of a dummy.
- ¡No te preocupes, bobo/a!Don't worry, you dummy!
- ¡Eres un tontito/a!You're such a dummy!
- No seas tonto, la llave está en la mesa.Don't be a dummy, the key is on the table.
- ¡Ay, tonto! Te olvidaste de tu paraguas.Oh, dummy! You forgot your umbrella.
- Eres un tonto por no venir a la fiesta.You are a dummy for not coming to the party.
Example conversation
Daniel accidentally tells Elena that she lost her phone, even though it is in her hand.
- Elena¿Has visto mi teléfono, Daniel?Have you seen my phone, Daniel?
- DanielNo, creo que lo perdiste.No, I think you lost it.
- Elena¡Qué tonto eres! Lo tengo en la mano.You dummy! I have it in my hand.
- Daniel¡Ah! Lo siento, no lo vi.Ah! I'm sorry, I didn't see it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry tonto, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tonto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
