A brightly colored storybook illustration showing two friendly cartoon characters. One character is gesturing excitedly as if telling a story, and the other character is laughing heartily.

chistes

CHEE-stehs

NounmA1

jokes?funny stories or remarks

Also:gags?short humorous acts,witticisms?clever, humorous comments

📝 In Action

Mi abuelo siempre cuenta los mismos chistes viejos.

My grandfather always tells the same old jokes.

¿Conoces algunos chistes buenos para romper el hielo?

Do you know any good jokes to break the ice?

Todos se rieron mucho con sus chistes.

Everyone laughed a lot at his jokes.

Word Connections

Synonyms

bromas (jokes / fooling around)
ocurrencias (witticisms / clever remarks)

Common Collocations

contar chistes – to tell jokes
hacer chistes – to make jokes
un libro de chistes – a joke book

Idioms & Expressions

estar de chistes – to be joking/to be kidding
sin chistes – seriously / no kidding

💡 Grammar Points

Masculine Plural

'Chistes' is the plural form of the masculine noun 'chiste' (joke). Remember to use masculine plural words with it, like 'los' (the) or 'algunos' (some).

Using 'Contar'

When you are reciting a full joke (telling a story with a punchline), the correct verb is 'contar' (to count/to tell): 'Voy a contar unos chistes'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using the wrong verb for telling

Mistake: "Voy a decir chistes."

Correction: Voy a contar chistes. (Use 'contar' for reciting jokes, not 'decir' [to say].)

⭐ Usage Tips

Quick Humor

If you want to say 'just kidding' or 'it was a joke,' you can often use the singular form 'Era un chiste' or the synonym 'Es broma' (It's a joke/It's a prank).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: chistes

Question 1 of 2

Which verb correctly completes the phrase: 'Mi amigo va a ______ chistes en la fiesta.'

📚 More Resources

Word Family

chiste(joke (singular)) - noun

chistoso(funny / witty) - adjective

chistear(to joke around) - verb

Frequently Asked Questions

¿Cuál es la diferencia entre 'chistes' y 'bromas'?

While both mean 'jokes,' 'chistes' usually refers to a specific funny story or punchline. 'Bromas' is broader; it can mean a joke, a prank, or just general fooling around.

If I want to describe someone as funny, what word should I use from the 'chistes' family?

You should use the adjective 'chistoso' (masculine) or 'chistosa' (feminine). Example: 'Es un hombre muy chistoso' (He is a very funny man).