war nur ein Witz
The German phrase for "just kidding" is war nur ein Witz.
Use this phrase to clarify that you were not being serious and that a previous statement was intended only as a joke.
Meaning: I wasn’t serious, it was only a joke (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase war nur ein Witz is a literal translation of "was only a joke".
Which one should you use?
War nur Spaß! is a common alternative to war nur ein Witz!, often translated as "Just kidding!" or "Just fun!"
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
War nur ein Witz! is an informal way to clarify your intent. For a more formal way to say "I'm just joking", you can use Ich scherze nur.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase war nur ein Witz lacks an explicit subject because the subject is implied in casual speech.
Did you know?
- While English speakers say 'just kidding' to soften a blow, Germans may use war nur ein Witz after a piece of 'Galgenhumor', or gallows humor, to signal a shift back to seriousness.
- The word Witz is a distant relative of the English word 'wit', as both come from an ancient root meaning 'to see' or 'to know'.
- While 'wit' in English often describes a person's intelligence, the German Witz has evolved to focus almost entirely on the joke itself.
Examples in context
- Am Ende sagt er immer: „War nur ein Witz!“He always says, "Just kidding!" at the end.This sentence shows how to use war nur ein Witz at the end of a statement.Tatoeba #1816626 by pne, translation #1816627 by pne
- Das war nur ein Witz.That was just a joke.
- Oh, das war nur ein Witz!Oh, that was just a joke!
Example conversation
Julia tells Felix a surprising lie as a prank.
- JuliaFelix, ich habe deinen ganzen Kuchen gegessen!Felix, I ate your whole cake!
- FelixWas? Das kann doch nicht sein!What? That can't be true!
- JuliaEntspann dich, war nur ein Witz.Relax, just kidding.
- FelixDu hast mich echt erschreckt, Julia.You really scared me, Julia.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Witz, ein, nur, war, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
