burla
“burla” means “mockery” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
mockery
Also: taunt, joke
📝 In Action
No me gustan sus burlas sobre mi ropa.
B1I don't like his jokes about my clothes.
Lo hizo en son de burla.
B2He did it in a mocking way.
tricks
Also: evades, mocks
📝 In Action
El delantero burla a la defensa con facilidad.
B2The forward tricks the defense with ease.
Ella siempre burla la seguridad del edificio.
C1She always evades the building's security.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: burla
Question 1 of 2
Which word is better for a friendly, harmless joke with a friend?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the vulgar Latin word 'burrula', which is a smaller version of 'burra' (nonsense or wool). It originally referred to silly trifles or unimportant things.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'burla' always mean?
Not always, but it usually carries a more negative tone than 'broma'. It suggests someone is the target of the joke.
How do I say 'I am making fun of him'?
You would use the reflexive verb form: 'Me burlo de él'.