Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| burlarse de | /buɾlaɾse de/ (from spelling rules) | |
| molestar | /molesˈtaɾ/ | |
| tomar el pelo | /tomaɾ el pelo/ (from spelling rules) | |
| embromar | /embɾoˈmaɾ/ | |
| mofar | /moˈfaɾ/ | |
| pitorrearse | /pitoreaɾse/ (from spelling rules) | |
| recochinearse | /rekot͡ʃineˈaɾse/ | |
| vacilar | /baθiˈlaɾ/ /basiˈlaɾ/ |
|
| lornear | /loɾneaɾ/ (from spelling rules) | Peru |
tomar el pelo is used specifically when the teasing involves tricking someone or telling them something untrue as a joke, similar to the English expression 'to pull someone's leg'.
Which one should you use?
While burlarse de is a standard way to express teasing, molestar is more commonly used to mean to annoy, bother or disturb someone, though it can be used informally to mean tease. Vacilar is a common colloquial way to say someone is teasing or joking with another person.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Vacilar and recochinearse are colloquial forms. Molestar can be used informally to mean tease, but keep in mind its more common meaning of bothering or annoying someone.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Lornear is a regional term used in Peru to mean teasing or mocking.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb burlarse is pronominal and must be followed by the preposition de when indicating the person or thing being teased.
How do you pronounce it?
/buɾlaɾse de/
What mistakes should you avoid?
When using burlarse de, do not omit the preposition de. Avoid saying burlarse alguien. You must say burlarse de alguien.
Did you know?
- The verb molestar is a 'false friend' for English speakers because it means to annoy or tease rather than the more severe English meaning of 'molest'.
- The phrase tomar el pelo may have originated from a prank where someone would secretly remove another person's wig.
- While vacilar is used to mean teasing in many Spanish-speaking countries, its primary dictionary meaning is 'to hesitate' or 'to sway'.
Examples in context
- No debes molestar a tu hermana pequeña.You shouldn't tease your little sister.
- Ellos suelen burlarse de su acento.They usually tease him about his accent.
- Es malo burlarse de los demás.It is bad to tease others.
Example conversation
Sofía and Alejandro are talking about a funny mistake.
- SofíaÑo no te burles de mí, Alejandro.Don't tease me, Alejandro.
- AlejandroSolo estoy bromeando un poco.I'm just joking a little.
- SofíaNo es gracioso burlarse de mí.It's not funny to tease me.
- AlejandroEstá bien, lo siento mucho, Sofía.It's okay, I'm very sorry, Sofía.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tease” translations and entries molestar, tomar el pelo, embromar, mofar, pitorrearse, recochinearse, vacilar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, el, molestar, pelo, tomar, tomar el pelo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
