Jerk

[NiCACHiCA]

I've found a few threads on here concerning the topic, but they seem to make me more confused than anything. Many times it seems they start to stray from the original topic or it's hard to distinguish between what would be considered normal and what is vulgar.

Having said that, I'm having a hard time translating "you're a jerk" into (AmC) Spanish? Not looking for bad language or anything vulgar, just if someone does something mean and you call them a jerk.

Thanks in advance!

[chileno]

You are an idiot/stupid.

That will suffice. It isn't bad language or vulgar.

[NiCACHiCA]

Originally Posted by chileno

You are an idiot/stupid.

That will suffice. It isn't bad language or vulgar.

Are you saying in Spanish you would call them "idiota" or "estúpido"?

In Spanish, does idiota and estupido not attack more the person than just the action that they did? It seems in English idiot/stupid is more personal whereas calling someone a jerk is more related to some (mean) action they've done to you that has hurt you? (Hope that makes sense).

Is tirón a word recognized in Central America that you can use for "jerk"? Or is it stronger than "jerk"? And is it considered bad language?

[Rusty]

tirón = jerk (as in a rapid movement)

Calling someone a 'jerk' has many connotations in English. You could mean it in a mild sense (you can even call your best friend a jerk without offending). Or you could mean it in the worst sense. What do you want to say?
There are several Spanish words, from mild to extremely vulgar, that will fit the bill.

[NiCACHiCA]

Originally Posted by Rusty

tirón = jerk (as in a rapid movement)

Calling someone a 'jerk' has many connotations in English. You could mean it in a mild sense (you can even call your best friend a jerk without offending). Or you could mean it in the worst sense. What do you want to say?
There are several Spanish words, from mild to extremely vulgar, that will fit the bill.

it's along the lines of calling a friend a jerk, but when they've hurt you. so not just joking around, but something a little more serious. But definitely nothing vulgar. Something mild but that the person would know you were showing that they hurt you?

[Rusty]

All the words used for jerk, even the most mild that I know (tonto), can be considered offensive since they are all an insult to someone's intelligence.

If someone has hurt you, as in made you suffer, you can use hacer sufrir.
Me hiciste sufrir.
If they've hurt your feelings, you can use lastimar.
Me lastimaste.

Wait to see what others have to say.

[poli]

In Spain the term is gilipollas and it is commonly used, and just like jerk, only slightly vulgar. In Latin America, I haven't heard a similar term with the same connotation, but necio means foolish and that may be close enough.

[ookami]

I bealive that it depends on the way you say it. For me "idiota", "estúpido", "tonto" and the most used here (a regional one) "boludo", are quite mild, unless you want expressly to make them sound strong. For RAE those aren't vulgar words, so I will use them as a synonym of jerk.

Another one can be "pendejo", but for us (Argentina) that isn't much(???) as the insult you're looking for, because we use it to call adolescents and children in a vulgar or coloquial way.

[sosia]

choose one, depending on the context
eres muy vulgar
eres un bruto
eres tonto de remate
eres un gilipollas/pendejo
but if you want to say about the "prior action" is
eso ha sido muy vulgar
eso ha sido muy bruto
eso es de gilipollas

saludos

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

Adding to what has been said:

"Idiota" and "estúpido" are definitely insults, and on that line, there are a thousand words that can be used for that, as ookami and sosia have listed.
If it is a man and you mean he's usually rude, ignorant, inconsiderate, "patán" is a good word for it, but the one to whom it will be adressed may take it as an insult.

If you only want to tell someone that did something that has slightly offended you, you can use "grosero", "majadero", "pelado" (the last one only in Mexico, I think). ("Eres un grosero".)


As for the translation of "jerk" as a verb, "tirón" in the sense of "to pull" and "sacudir" in the sense of "to shake" could be suitable words.