no tener dos dedos de frente
Spanish
Etymology
Literally, “not to have a two finger forehead”.
"Dos dedos" (Two fingers) is an unofficial measuring unit, roughly 3 to 4 cm measuring one finger on top of the other, and it is used to mean that someone is not very smart, as shown by displaying a forehead that only measures 3 to 4 cm high(two fingers).
Verb
no tener dos dedos de frente (first-person singular present no tengo dos dedos de frente, first-person singular preterite no tuve dos dedos de frente, past participle no tenido dos dedos de frente)
- (idiomatic) to be an idiot, to be thick as a plank
Further reading
- “no tener dos dedos de frente”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 10 December 2024