eres tonto
/eɾes tonto/from spelling rules
The English phrase "you're thick" can be translated into Spanish as eres tonto.
This phrase is an informal way to tell someone that they are stupid or slow to understand.
Which one should you use?
The phrase eres tonto uses the verb ser, which is used for permanent or inherent characteristics like intelligence. You may also see the form eres un tonto, where adding the indefinite article un changes the phrase from 'you are stupid' to 'you are a stupid person'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
While eres tonto is a mild way to call someone thick, eres un gilipollas is a much more vulgar and aggressive way to insult someone's intelligence or character in Spain.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are speaking to a woman, you must change the ending of the adjective to the feminine form tonta.
How do you pronounce it?
/eɾes tonto/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, tonto is frequently used as a term of endearment between romantic partners or family members. Depending on the tone, it can mean 'you silly thing' rather than a genuine insult.
- The word eres is a linguistic relic from the Latin future tense eris, meaning 'you will be'. It replaced the original Latin word for 'you are' because that word sounded too similar to the word for 'he is'.
- In some regions, calling someone tonto is considered less offensive than calling them burro, which literally means 'donkey'. The latter specifically attacks someone's stubbornness and lack of intelligence.
Examples in context
- Oye, no te das cuenta de lo obvio. Eres un poco lento, ¿no crees?Hey, don't you realize the obvious? You're a bit slow, don't you think?
- Vamos, no debería ser tan difícil entenderlo. Eres un poco corto/a, ¿no crees?Come on, it shouldn't be so hard to understand. You're a bit dim, don't you think?
- No entiendo por qué dices eso, eres tonto.I don't understand why you say that, you're thick.
- ¡Ay, no seas así, eres tonto!Oh, don't be like that, you're thick!
- A veces creo que eres tonto.Sometimes I think you're thick.
Example conversation
Mateo and María are arguing about a simple puzzle.
- MateoLa pieza va aquí, María.The piece goes here, María.
- MaríaNo, no creo que sea así.No, I don't think that's how it is.
- Mateo¡Mira bien! De verdad eres tonto.Look closely! You're really thick.
- María¡No me digas eso!Don't call me that!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries eres, tonto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
