broma pesada

P

Pablete

Senior Member
Madrid
Spain - Spanish
How to say that in English? It means a joke made with a very bad taste that makes the victim spend a very bad time.

In WR it´s translated as "practical joke", but I doubt that is the proper way to say it.

Thanks
 
    • Según Collins dictionary:
    Practical Joke: a prank or trick usually intended to make the victim appear foolish.

    lo cual sería una broma de mal gusto también, qué creen ???
     
    Para mí "una broma pesada" es "a bad joke"...

    Le hicisteis una broma muy pesada a Jaime...¿que no se supone que es vuestro amigo?

    You played a really bad joke on Jaime...isn't he supposed to be your friend?
     
    eironi said:
    Para mí "una broma pesada" es "a bad joke"...

    Le hicisteis una broma muy pesada a Jaime...¿que no se supone que es vuestro amigo?

    You played a really bad joke on Jaime...isn't he supposed to be your friend?
    Click to expand...


    As you are a native English speaker you could give us the best answer:D , so what is a practical joke then ???
     
    Hola Sparrow, =)
    Yo diría que, dependiendo del contexto, se podría traducir "practical joke" simplemente como "broma" (de hecho, eso es lo que dice en mi diccionario).
    Según la descripción de Pablete de lo que es "una broma pesada" - "It means a joke made with a very bad taste that makes the victim spend a very bad time", para mí eso es más bien "a bad (practical) joke", porque "a practical joke" (a secas) no es necesariamente algo que sea de tan mal gusto, aunque también lo podría ser.
    Por lo menos así lo veo yo.
     
    gracias por la aclaración. Es que a veces uno se atiene al diccionario (cosa que me parece perfecta) pero muchas veces quien habla el idioma cotidianamente puede dar una respuesta más clara.
    Gracias nuevamente Eironi :)
     
    Sparrow22 said:
    so what is a practical joke then ???
    Click to expand...

    Mi diccionario da: a prank intended to trick or embarrass someone or cause physical discomfort

    Por ejemplo, vas a ir a una fiesta con tus amigos, y te dicen que es una fiesta de disfraces, así que te vistes de Cleopatra. Pero al llegar, te das cuenta de que no es una fiesta de disfraces y tu eres la única que va disfrazada, y todos tus amigos se parten de risa... eres la víctima de un practical joke. (Y no hay nada más dulce que la venganza.....)
     
    Sparrow22 said:
    gracias por la aclaración. Es que a veces uno se atiene al diccionario (cosa que me parece perfecta) pero muchas veces quien habla el idioma cotidianamente puede dar una respuesta más clara.
    Gracias nuevamente Eironi
    Click to expand...
    De nada, Sparrow. :)
    HollyH said:
    Maybe call it a mean joke? A bad joke sounds like one that just isn't funny...
    Click to expand...
    "A bad joke" could also be "un mal chiste", you're right, but (at least in BE) I would still use it for "una broma pesada" in the situation described by Pablete (although "a mean joke" would definitely work too).
    Saludos.
     
    HI all,
    I agree with Holly H, perhaps "mean" joke is clearer. Or perhaps less concisely, a joke "pushed too far" or joke "gone overboard" definitely give the idea that the intended victim was not happy or amused as a result.
    Grumpus
     
    Locking a chicken in a friend's car would be a mean practical joke. Would anyone do this to a real friend? Pretty mean to the chicken, too. Turning off the lights off while someone is using a public restroom is a silly, but esentially harmless practical joke. A bad joke could be a verbal story that is supposed to entertain, but does not (it falls flat), or is in poor taste.
     
    sabes que me suena haberte respondido a eso ??? es más te contesté con que ya había habido una jugosa "discusion" acerca de la "dulce venganza" en otro hilo....
    esto es un deja vú:p !!!!!!!!
     
    Thank you guys.

    It has just ocurred to me another way to say it in English and in Spanish also:
    broma pesada = broma de mal gusto = a joke in bad taste

    I found it in WR in the word 'gusto' ("it was a remark in bad taste")

    What do you think about that, my native friends?
     
    kimbatwl61 said:
    Locking a chicken in a friend's car would be a mean practical joke. Would anyone do this to a real friend? Pretty mean to the chicken, too. Turning off the lights off while someone is using a public restroom is a silly, but esentially harmless practical joke. A bad joke could be a verbal story that is supposed to entertain, but does not (it falls flat), or is in poor taste.
    Click to expand...
    Well, you wouldn't really play a practical joke on someone you didn't know... usually on friends (good ones or not ;)). In Google, "played a really mean joke on" = 73 results, "played a really bad joke on" = 75 results, and looking at the examples, most could be used interchangeably, so I disagree that "a bad joke" is just a "chiste" that isn't funny or a naff verbal story.
     
    Pablete said:
    Thank you guys.

    It has just ocurred to me another way to say it in English and in Spanish also:
    broma pesada = broma de mal gusto = a joke in bad taste

    I found it in WR in the word 'gusto' ("it was a remark in bad taste")

    What do you think about that, my native friends?
    Click to expand...
    Sounds pretty accurate to me, Pablete... but wait for more opinions because they more than likely won't be in agreement with mine. :D
     
    Pablete said:
    Thank you guys.

    It has just ocurred to me another way to say it in English and in Spanish also:
    broma pesada = broma de mal gusto = a joke in bad taste

    I found it in WR in the word 'gusto' ("it was a remark in bad taste")

    What do you think about that, my native friends?
    Click to expand...

    I think that's a good idea-- the joke was in bad taste or in poor taste.
     
    I think a better translation might be "cruel joke". You read and hear that a lot more than "mean joke", though both accurately describe the sentiment.
     
    I agree with jinti. "Prank" seems to me the right translation for "broma pesada".
    According to my dictionary: Prank: a practical joke or mischievous act.

    Regards
     
    Gastar una broma is one thing, but una broma pesada is another.

    I agree with those who say "a joke (or prank) in bad taste or poor taste." It's not meant to entertain, but rather to bother someone.
     
    To me in BrE, "play a bad joke on someone" sounds strange and it's not something I would ever say. I agree that a bad joke I s more for (telling) a normal joke that isn't particularly funny, or makes you groan rather than laugh. I think "practical joke" is fine, and the dictionary definitions cited back that up. If you wanted to include "bad, mean" etc for emphasis, than I think "play a nasty trick on someone" would be better.
     
    La palabra "broma" es mencionada muchas veces en este hilo pero también alguien dijo "chiste". ¿Cuál es la diferencia?
     
    Good question. Very generally:

    Broma is a joke you make ("That's what she said!) . Chiste is a joke you tell. ("These three guys walk into a bar...")

    Lines from shows are also "chistes".
     
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