sei stupido
/ˈsɛj ˈstu.pi.do/word by word
The English phrase "you stupid" translates to the Italian sei stupido in its default form.
This phrase is used to tell someone that they are not intelligent. In an informal context, you can say Sei stupido/stupida to mean "You are stupid". Other informal ways to express similar ideas include Sei proprio scemo/scema for "You're really stupid" or Sei un idiota for "You're an idiot".
Which one should you use?
The form sei stupido uses the masculine singular, which is the default when addressing a male. If you are addressing a group of people, the phrase changes to siete stupidi.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective changes its ending to reflect the person you are addressing: use sei stupida when addressing a female. For a group of people, use the plural form siete stupidi.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈsɛj ˈstu.pi.do/. The word has 4 syllables and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- If you want to call someone 'very stupid' in a way that sounds more idiomatic, you might say sei un caso disperato, which literally translates to 'you are a desperate case'.
- The word stupido comes from the Latin stupidus, which originally described someone who was stunned or struck with amazement rather than lacking intellect.
- In many Italian regions, a sharp gesture of the hand or a shrug often accompanies sei stupido to signal that the person is acting foolishly in the moment.
Examples in context
- Sei stupido o cosa?Are you stupid or what?Tatoeba #7536521 by Guybrush88, translation #5747811 by CM
- "Perché sei stupido?" "Non sono stupido.""Why are you stupid?" "I'm not stupid."Tatoeba #7664519 by Guybrush88, translation #3135667 by Hybrid
- Sei stupido?Are you stupid?Tatoeba #6977549 by Guybrush88, translation #2711995 by CK
Example conversation
Matteo forgot his keys inside the locked car.
- GiuliaMa come hai fatto? Sei stupido!How did you do that? You are stupid!
- MatteoNon sono stupido, sono solo stanco.I am not stupid, I am just tired.
- GiuliaSì, ma ora dobbiamo chiamare un fabbro.Yes, but now we have to call a locksmith.
- MatteoHai ragione, scusami.You are right, sorry.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (sei, stupido) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sei, stupido, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
