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A rainy day with a single large umbrella that has a big hole in the top, letting water through.

irónico

ee-RO-nee-ko

adjectivemB1
ironic?meaning the opposite of what is said or expected
Also:sarcastic?when used to describe a mocking tone of voice,wry?describing a dry sense of humor

📝 In Action

Es irónico que un bombero tenga un incendio en su propia casa.

B1

It is ironic that a firefighter has a fire in his own house.

Me dio una sonrisa irónica antes de irse.

B2

He gave me an ironic smile before leaving.

Su tono era bastante irónico y no sabía si hablaba en serio.

B2

His tone was quite sarcastic and I didn't know if he was being serious.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • sarcástico (sarcastic)
  • burlesco (mocking)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • tono irónico – ironic tone
  • comentario irónico – ironic remark
  • destino irónico – ironic twist of fate

💡 Grammar Points

Matching the Noun

This word is a describing word. It changes to 'irónica' if the thing you are describing is feminine (like 'una respuesta') or 'irónicos/as' if there are more than one.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Irony vs. Sarcasm

Mistake: "Using 'sarcástico' for every strange situation."

Correction: Use 'irónico' for situations that are weird coincidences. Use 'sarcástico' only when someone is being a bit mean or mocking on purpose.

⭐ Usage Tips

Natural Sounding

In Spanish, we often use 'Qué irónico' (How ironic) as a reaction when something unexpected happens.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: irónico

Question 1 of 1

Which of these is the most 'irónico' situation?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

ironía(irony) - noun
irónicamente(ironically) - adverb

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'irónico' always mean someone is being mean?

Not at all! While it can be used for mocking humor, it often just describes a strange coincidence or a situation that turned out the opposite of what was planned.

How do I say 'ironically' in Spanish?

You can use the adverb 'irónicamente'.