Saturday, 9 June 2012

Risa


Today's WOTD is: "risa" = laughter

In Spanish, the noun "risa" is a feminine noun of Latin origin which means laughter. A commonly used diminutive form of the noun “risa” is “risita”, meaning little laugh/ giggle.

A related Spanish action word/ verb is “reír”, the meaning of which is to laugh.

Some commonly used expressions* containing the word "risa" or related words are:
  • Contener la risa (to contain one's laughter/ to stop laughing);
  • Dar risa (to be funny/ to cause laughter);
  • Darle a alguien la risa (to start laughing/ giggling);
  • Ser de risa (to be laughable/ a joke/ the object of scorn);
  • Desternillarse de risa (to kill oneself laughing – colloquially);
  • Entrarle a alguien la risa (to start laughing/ giggling);
  • Entre risas (amid laughter);
  • Mearse de risa (to wet oneself laughing – colloquially/ vulgar);
  • Mondarse de risa (to wet oneself laughing – colloquially);
  • Morirse de risa (to kill oneself laughing– colloquially);
  • Partirse de risa (to kill oneself laughing – colloquially);
  • ¡Qué risa! (what a laugh!/ how funny!);
  • Reventar de risa (to kill oneself laughing – colloquially);
  • Risa contagiosa (infectious laugh);
  • Risa falsa (fake laughter);
  • Risa sardonica (sardonic laugh);
  • Risita nerviosa (nervous giggle/ laugh);
  • Tener algo muerto de risa (to have something just for show/ gathering dust);
  • Tomarse algo a risa (to take something as a joke);
  • Troncharse de risa (to kill oneself laughing – colloquially);

* NB Many of these expressions may be used also ironically (meaning things/ situations which are laughable/ unbelievable/ the object of scorn).

Some examples of the use of the word "risa" are:
  • No pudimos contener la risa (we could not stop laughing);
  • Esa foto me da risa (that photo is very funny/ makes me laugh);
  • Sólo de verte me dió la risa (just watching you I started laughing);
  • Sólo de verte me entró la risa (just watching you I started laughing);
  • Lo que has hecho es de risa (what you have done is a joke);
  • Nos desternillábamos de risa (we were killing ourselves laughing);
  • Nos meábamos de risa (we were wetting ourselves laughing - vulgar);
  • Nos mondábamos de risa (we were wetting ourselves laughing);
  • Nos moríamos de risa (we were killing ourselves laughing);
  • Nos partíamos de risa (we were killing ourselves laughing);
  • Nos tronchábamos de risa (we were killing ourselves laughing);
  • Reventábamos de risa (we were killing ourselves laughing);
  • Entre las risas del público (amid the audience's laughter);
  • Que risa más contagiosa tienes (what an infectious laugh you have);
  • Pedro dejó escapar una risa sardónica (Pedro let out a sardonic laugh);
  • Pedro dejó escapar una risita nerviosa (Pedro let out a nervous giggle);
  • Tengo la bicicleta muerta de risa (my bike hasn't been used for ages/ is just gathering dust);
  • No te lo tomes a risa, va en serio (don't you think it is a joke, I mean it);

Love-Spanish.com loves the word "risa" in the YouTube clip: Ataque de risa parlamento andaluz

For more on the word "risa", visit: Wordreference.com/es/en/ Risa

*NB 'Click' on the speaker icon next to the word “risa” in the link to hear the word pronounced.

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2 comments:

Margaret M said...

Trbajaba con una mujer que tuvo una risa contagiosa.

Unknown said...

¿Tenía risa contagiosa aquella mujer con la que trabajabas?