estaba bromeando
/estaba bɾomeando/from spelling rules
To say "I was joking" in Spanish, use estaba bromeando.
This phrase is used to tell someone that what you just said was not intended to be taken seriously.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase estaba bromeando is composed of the imperfect indicative of estar (to be) and the gerund of bromear (to joke).
Which one should you use?
While estaba bromeando means "I was joking", you can use era una broma if you want to say "It was a joke". Additionally, estaba de broma is a common alternative way to express that you were joking.
How do you pronounce it?
/estaba bɾomeando/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, if you want to say you were 'kidding' or 'messing around' in a very informal way, you might use the verb vacilar instead of bromear.
- If a joke is particularly bad or unsuccessful, a Spanish speaker might call it a broma pesada, which translates to a 'heavy joke' rather than a 'bad joke'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, if someone tells you estaba bromeando after a prank, they might also use the word trollear to describe the act of 'trolling' someone in a playful way.
Examples in context
- ¿Pensaste que estaba bromeando?Did you think that I was joking?This sentence is useful for asking if someone thought you were using the form estaba bromeando.Tatoeba #2469102 by hayastan, translation #1543209 by Bah_Dure
- Estaba bromeando.I was joking.This sentence is a direct statement using estaba bromeando.Tatoeba #9706886 by Shishir, translation #2247486 by CK
- ¡Ay, me asustaste! Estaba bromeando, ¿verdad?You scared me! I was joking, right?
- No te lo creas, era solo una broma.Don't believe it, it was just a joke.
- Perdona si te ofendí, no era mi intención. Estaba bromeando.Sorry if I offended you, it wasn't my intention. I was joking.
- No te lo tomes en serio, solo lo dije en son de broma.Don't take it seriously, I just said it in a joking manner.
- No te enfades, estaba bromeando.Don't get angry, I was joking.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía tells Alejandro a fake piece of news to see his reaction.
- Lucía¡Perdiste tu teléfono!You lost your phone!
- Alejandro¡¿Qué?! ¡No puede ser!What?! That can't be!
- LucíaTranquilo, Alejandro, estaba bromeando.Calm down, Alejandro, I was joking.
- Alejandro¡Qué susto me has dado!You scared me!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
