eres tonto
/eɾes tonto/from spelling rules
The English phrase "you're dumb" is translated into Spanish as eres tonto.
Eres tonto is an expression used to tell someone that they lack intelligence or are acting foolishly. While it can be used as an insult, it is often used colloquially among friends as a lighthearted way to call someone a silly goose or a fool.
Which one should you use?
Using eres tonto describes a person's character as a permanent trait, whereas estás tonto means "you're being dumb," referring to a temporary state of acting foolishly.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For more formal or polite situations, you can use Eres poco inteligente (You're not very intelligent) or Tu capacidad intelectual es limitada (Your intellectual capacity is limited). In highly informal or colloquial settings, you might hear No tienes cerebro (You have no brain) or Eres un/a idiota (You're an idiot).
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, making the phrase eres tonta.
How do you pronounce it?
/eɾes tonto/
Did you know?
- Depending on the country, the phrase eres tonto may be replaced by regional slang like eres nabo in Spain, comparing the person to a turnip.
- The verb form in eres tonto is actually a linguistic relic. It comes from the Latin eris, which is the future tense 'you will be', rather than the standard Latin present tense 'you are'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, calling a child tontito using the diminutive suffix is a common way to gently tease them without being cruel.
Examples in context
- Creo que eres tonto.I think you're dumb.This sentence is useful for expressing a personal belief about someone's intelligence.Tatoeba #5190191 by albrusgher, translation #2799083 by CK
- No eres más tonto, por eso, porque eres tonto.You're not dumber because of that, it's because you're dumb.This sentence is useful for explaining that someone's lack of intelligence is the cause of a situation rather than another factor.Tatoeba #6588168 by arh, translation #13602997 by sfgdh
- No digas eso, sabes que eres tonto.Don't say that, you know you're dumb.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are arguing about a simple mistake.
- Alejandro¡Eres tonto!You're dumb!
- LucíaNo soy tonta, solo me equivoqué.I'm not dumb, I just made a mistake.
- AlejandroPero es un error muy simple.But it's a very simple mistake.
- LucíaDeja de decir que eres tonto.Stop saying that you're dumb.
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.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
