Casualnoun
babbeo
fool, goof
Formal Equivalent
sciocco
Examples in Context
"Non fare il babbeo, lo sai che scherzavo!"
"Don't be a goof, you know I was joking!"
"Quel babbeo del mio amico ha messo il sale nel caffè."
"My goofy friend put salt in his coffee."
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Cultural Note
A very mild, almost old-fashioned insult that sounds more funny than offensive. It paints someone as a harmless fool — clumsy, absent-minded, or gullible. It has a warm, almost endearing quality to it. You might hear older Italians use it more, but it works at any age among friends. Never truly hurtful.
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