eres un idiota
/eɾes un idjota/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "you're an idiot" is said as eres un idiota.
This phrase is an insulting statement used to tell someone that they are stupid.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, such as Mexico and Argentina, you might hear Eres un burro (You're a donkey). In Spain, the phrase Eres un papanatas (You're a nincompoop) is primarily heard.
How does it change in a sentence?
By using the third-person singular form es instead of eres, the insult is directed at someone using the formal usted register, resulting in es un idiota (he is an idiot / you are an idiot [formal]).
Did you know?
- The word idiota is a cognate with the English 'idiot', but its root ídios also gave English the word 'idiosyncrasy'.
- The word idiota originally had nothing to do with intelligence, instead referring to a 'private person' or a 'layman' who did not participate in public or political life.
- While eres un idiota is a direct insult, using the formal usted form es un idiota can create a cold, distancing effect that makes the insult feel more severe.
Examples in context
- ¡Eres un idiota!You're an idiot.This sentence is useful for expressing the direct insult eres un idiota.Tatoeba #1249631 by Shishir, translation #461945 by tamsanh
- "Eres un idiota." "¡No lo soy!""You're an idiot." "No, I'm not."This is useful for seeing a short exchange where someone denies the insult eres un idiota.Tatoeba #11906729 by DJ_Saidez, translation #10108736 by espamatics
- No me hables así, eres un idiota.Don't talk to me like that, you're an idiot.
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are arguing over a silly mistake.
- Javier¡Mira lo que hiciste! Eres un idiota.Look what you did! You're an idiot.
- SofíaNo me digas eso, fue un accidente.Don't tell me that, it was an accident.
- JavierSigue siendo una tontería.It's still a foolish thing.
- SofíaYa cállate, Javier.Just shut up, Javier.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries eres, idiota, un, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
