Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA |
|---|---|
| brincadeira | /bɾĩ.kaˈde(j).ɾɐ/ (Brazil) /bɾĩ.kɐˈdɐj.ɾɐ/ (Portugal) |
| tô brincando |
You can use the single word brincadeira! as an interjection immediately after making a joke to signal that you were not being serious.
What does it mean word for word?
The noun brincadeira literally means 'play', 'game' or 'joke'.
Which one should you use?
Use the noun brincadeira as an exclamation to mean 'Just kidding!' or 'It's a joke!', whereas tô brincando is a verbal phrase meaning 'I am kidding'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase tô brincando is an informal, spoken contraction of 'estou brincando'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazilian Portuguese, Tô zoando is an informal way of saying 'just kidding'.
How does it change in a sentence?
Tô brincando is a contraction of 'estou brincando', which is the present continuous form of the verb 'to joke' or 'to play'. Another informal option is Só tava brincando, which means 'I was just kidding'.
How do you pronounce it?
The word brincadeira has four syllables, with the stress on the third syllable: /bɾĩ.kaˈde(j).ɾɐ/.
Did you know?
- While brincadeira is safe for most settings, the slang term zoando comes from the word zoar, which originally meant to make a loud noise or to howl like an animal.
- In many Brazilian social circles, the term zoeira refers to a state of constant joking or a chaotic, fun atmosphere, turning the act of 'kidding' into a lifestyle or a mood.
- If you want to be more aggressive with your teasing, you might use tô de sacanagem, which is much more informal and can range from 'I'm joking' to 'I'm being a jerk'.
Examples in context
- Brincadeira!Just kidding!This example shows how to use brincadeira as an interjection.Tatoeba #3763287 by alexmarcelo, translation #3760611 by Wuzzy
- Desculpe se parecia sério, estou brincando!Sorry if it seemed serious, I'm just kidding!
- Aquela piada foi pesada, mas relaxa, tô zoando!That joke was heavy, but don't worry, I'm just kidding!
- Não fique chateado, foi só uma brincadeira, só tava brincando!Don't be upset, it was just a joke, I was just kidding!
- É só uma brincadeira.It is just a joke.
- Não leve a sério, é brincadeira.Don't take it seriously, it's a joke.
Example conversation
Lucas tells Beatriz that he lost her favorite book.
- BeatrizVocê perdeu o meu livro favorito?Did you lose my favorite book?
- LucasNão, é só uma brincadeira!No, it is just a joke!
- BeatrizNossa, Lucas, que susto você me deu.Wow, Lucas, you gave me such a scare.
- LucasDesculpe, Beatriz, eu não queria assustar você.Sorry, Beatriz, I didn't want to scare you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “just kidding” translations and entries brincadeira, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
