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.

---

This is another Free online Spanish lesson from Love-Spanish.com. We conduct Spanish lessons online on a wide range of topics using the latest video conferencing facilities. Online lessons are the ideal way to improve listening and speaking skills. For more details on our lessons online and how to book them, please visit:

Love-Spanish.com/Lessons-Online

For more Free Spanish:

Visit: Love-Spanish.com

Follow us on:

Google+: Google+ Love-Spanish

Twitter: @LoveSpanish_com

Facebook: Facebook.com/ Love.Spanish

© Copyright 2012 Love-Spanish.com. by Jose M González. All Rights Reserved.