Ser un Menso

Question

Cuando uno dice que alguien es menso, ¿significa que son tontos?

Answer 1

If that is true, then it is a bit of a false friend with English.

Mensa n an international society, membership of which is restricted to people whose intelligence test scores exceed those expected of 98 per cent of the population

False friend, indeed. :) - chaparrito, Aug 2, 2010

I always found this ironic - nizhoni1, Aug 2, 2010

Answer 2

The RAE explaination is exactly why Menso has a much stronger feeling to it than Tonto. An intelligent person can be Tonto from time to time, but to call someone Menso is to call him an imbecil. So be be careful how and with whom you use Menso.

Answer 3

And according to R A E it is a regional colloquialism:

1. adj. coloq. Ec., El Salv., Hond., Méx. y Nic. tonto (? falto de entendimiento o razón).

Real Academia Española © Todos los derechos reservados

Answer 4

Yes, it means someone is stupid or a fool. It is an adjective and a noun.

Answer 5

Hola, he escuchado 'no te hagas el menso' que para me significa 'no hagas el tonto' en inglés 'Don't act stupid' o sea que la persona NO es estupido, solo que está fingiendo.