C2 · 50 words
Humour, irony and mockery in Spanish
The words for what happens between the lines — and for the fine differences between a joke and a sneer.
Practise this list
From these 50 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
Irony is the last hurdle of a foreign language, because it says the opposite of what it means and nothing marks it. Spanish grades the range carefully: la guasa is good-natured, la retranca works by hint, la sorna has a point on it, la pulla is aimed at somebody, and la pluma mordaz wounds with style. The word to carry away is el público, in la complicidad con el público. One Spanish word holds what English keeps in two: « the public », everybody in general, and « the audience », the particular people sitting in the room tonight. A comedian works on the second and a government on the first, and el público does not say which — in Spanish the setting decides, in English the word does.
The words
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Phrase (43)
la ironía apenas marcadathe barely marked ironyPhraseC2
Su ironía apenas marcada pasa desapercibida para media sala.Their barely marked irony goes past half the room.
el comentario hirientethe wounding remarkPhraseC2
El comentario hiriente cierra la conversación en lugar de abrirla.The wounding remark closes the conversation instead of opening it.
la pluma mordazthe biting penPhraseC2
Escribe con una pluma mordaz que se agradece de lejos.They write with a biting pen that is best appreciated from a distance.
el humor negrothe black humourPhraseC2
El humor negro depende por completo de quién lo diga.Black humour depends entirely on who says it.
el humor absurdothe absurd humourPhraseC2
El humor absurdo no necesita que la situación sea posible.Absurd humour does not need the situation to be possible.
la ocurrencia ingeniosathe witty thought on the spotPhraseC2
Salvó la reunión con una ocurrencia ingeniosa.They saved the meeting with a witty thought on the spot.
el chiste malo pero oportunothe bad but well-timed jokePhraseC2
Soltó un chiste malo pero oportuno y todos respiraron.They let out a bad but well-timed joke and everyone breathed again.
el equívoco intencionadothe deliberate ambiguityPhraseC2
El equívoco intencionado no sobrevive a la traducción.The deliberate ambiguity does not survive translation.
el doble sentidothe double meaningPhraseC2
El doble sentido se le escapó a quien lo escribió.The double meaning got past whoever wrote it.
la exageración deliberadathe deliberate exaggerationPhraseC2
La exageración deliberada deja claro que no habla en serio.The deliberate exaggeration makes it clear that they are not serious.
la ironía dramáticathe dramatic ironyPhraseC2
La ironía dramática deja al lector saber más que el personaje.Dramatic irony lets the reader know more than the character does.
la imitación burlescathe mocking imitationPhraseC2
La imitación burlesca desmonta en vez de homenajear.The mocking imitation takes apart instead of paying tribute.
la sátira políticathe political satirePhraseC2
La sátira política funciona cuando nadie duda del blanco.Political satire works when nobody doubts the target.
la caricatura del argumentothe caricature of the argumentPhraseC2
Responder a la caricatura del argumento es más fácil que responder al argumento.Answering the caricature of the argument is easier than answering the argument.
la burla abiertathe open mockeryPhraseC2
La burla abierta no admite retirada.Open mockery leaves no way back.
la réplica ingeniosathe witty replyPhraseC2
La réplica ingeniosa se le ocurrió media hora tarde.The witty reply came to them half an hour late.
la agudeza verbalthe sharpness with wordsPhraseC2
Su agudeza verbal se agradece hasta que le toca a uno.Their sharpness with words is appreciated until it is your turn.
el ingenio afiladothe honed witPhraseC2
El ingenio afilado hace amigos y enemigos a la vez.Honed wit makes friends and enemies at the same time.
la disposición a bromearthe readiness to jokePhraseC2
La disposición a bromear se nota antes en lo que no se dice.The readiness to joke shows first in what is not said.
tomarse las cosas con humorto take things with humourPhraseC2
Se toma las cosas con humor y no las toma a la ligera.They take things with humour and do not take them lightly.
reírse de uno mismoto laugh at oneselfPhraseC2
Reírse de uno mismo desarma casi cualquier crítica.Laughing at oneself disarms almost any criticism.
quitar hierro al asuntoto take the weight out of the matterPhraseC2
Quitó hierro al asunto con dos frases.They took the weight out of the matter in two sentences.
romper el hielo con una bromato break the ice with a jokePhraseC2
Rompió el hielo con una broma sobre el propio retraso.They broke the ice with a joke about their own lateness.
la anécdota bien contadathe well-told anecdotePhraseC2
La anécdota bien contada vale más que el argumento.The well-told anecdote is worth more than the argument.
el remate del chistethe punchlinePhraseC2
El remate del chiste llegó tarde y se perdió.The punchline came late and was lost.
el momento oportuno del comentariothe right moment for the remarkPhraseC2
El momento oportuno del comentario importa más que el contenido.The right moment for the remark matters more than its content.
la complicidad con el públicothe understanding with the audiencePhraseC2
La complicidad con el público se pierde en cuanto se explica.The understanding with the audience is lost the moment it is explained.
la broma que no hace graciathe joke that does not landPhraseC2
La broma que no hace gracia deja un silencio muy largo.The joke that does not land leaves a very long silence.
pasarse de la rayato go too farPhraseC2
Se pasó de la raya y lo supo al instante.They went too far and knew it at once.
el chiste a costa de alguienthe joke at somebody's expensePhraseC2
El chiste a costa de alguien solo lo puede hacer él mismo.The joke at somebody's expense can only be made by that person.
el sentido del ridículothe fear of looking foolishPhraseC2
Perdió el sentido del ridículo y ganó el escenario.They lost the fear of looking foolish and won the stage.
quedar en ridículoto be left looking foolishPhraseC2
Quedó en ridículo por defender un dato falso.They were left looking foolish for defending a false figure.
la sonrisa de compromisothe polite smilePhraseC2
Respondió con una sonrisa de compromiso.They answered with a polite smile.
la risa nerviosathe nervous laughPhraseC2
La risa nerviosa recorrió la sala.The nervous laugh went round the room.
la carcajada contagiosathe catching burst of laughterPhraseC2
La carcajada contagiosa acabó con la formalidad.The catching burst of laughter put an end to the formality.
el guiño al lectorthe wink at the readerPhraseC2
El guiño al lector aparece en la última línea.The wink at the reader turns up in the last line.
la ironía tipográfica de las comillasthe irony of the inverted commasPhraseC2
La ironía tipográfica de las comillas ahorra un párrafo entero.The irony of the inverted commas saves a whole paragraph.
el eufemismo cómicothe comic euphemismPhraseC2
El eufemismo cómico dice lo peor con la mejor palabra.The comic euphemism says the worst thing in the best word.
la ironía que no se entiendethe irony that is not understoodPhraseC2
La ironía que no se entiende se convierte en insulto.Irony that is not understood turns into an insult.
la broma privada del grupothe group's private jokePhraseC2
La broma privada del grupo excluye sin querer.The group's private joke excludes without meaning to.
el tono jocosothe jocular tonePhraseC2
El tono jocoso no encaja en un correo de despido.A jocular tone does not belong in a letter of dismissal.
la gravedad fingidathe feigned seriousnessPhraseC2
La gravedad fingida es la mitad del efecto.The feigned seriousness is half the effect.
decir algo medio en bromato say something half in jestPhraseC2
Lo dijo medio en broma y esperó a ver la reacción.They said it half in jest and waited to see the reaction.
Noun (f) (5)
la guasathe good-natured teasingNoun (f)C2
Lo dijo con guasa, no para molestar.They said it in good-natured teasing, not to annoy.
la sornathe mocking undertoneNoun (f)C2
Contestó con sorna y sin levantar la voz.They answered with a mocking undertone and without raising their voice.
la retrancathe sly allusionNoun (f)C2
Su retranca hay que oírla dos veces.Their sly allusion has to be heard twice.
la pullathe jibeNoun (f)C2
Soltó una pulla y siguió como si nada.They threw in a jibe and carried on as if nothing had happened.
la autoironíathe self-ironyNoun (f)C2
La autoironía es el único humor sin víctima.Self-irony is the only humour without a victim.
Noun (m) (2)
el zascathe comeback that landsNoun (m)C2
El zasca dejó la sala en silencio.The comeback that lands left the room silent.
el chascarrillothe small anecdoteNoun (m)C2
Contó un chascarrillo de sus primeros años.They told a small anecdote from their early years.
This list belongs to Language and expression — 22 lists and 1 102 words that can also be practised as a whole.