how to say “just kidding” in Hebrew

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/סתם-#.m4a” /]סְתָם

To joke around, in Hebrew, is להתבדח[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/סתם-#.m4a” /], while I’m joking is אני צוחק[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/סתם-#.m4a” /] if you’re a male and אני צוחקת[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/סתם-#.m4a” /] if you’re a female. Both צוחק[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/סתם-#.m4a” /] and צוחקת[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/סתם-#.m4a” /] are forms of the simple verb לצחוק[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/סתם-#.m4a” /], which means literally to laugh.

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/סתם-#.m4a” /]תגיד, אתה צוחק? – לא, אני רציני לגמרי!

Tell me, are you (a male) joking? No, I’m totally serious!

But suppose you’ve pulled someone’s leg, led them to believe something that isn’t true, and it’s time to let them know. At this point, you might say in English, just kidding! or just joking! In Hebrew, there’s one word that sums up this whole phrase: סתם[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/סתם-#.m4a” /].

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/סתם-#.m4a” /]שלום עם איראן, אני לא מאמין! אני כבר אורז לי מזוודה… – סתם!

Peace with Iran, I (a male) can’t believe it! I’m starting to pack right now… – Just kidding!

The word סתם, which came to Hebrew via Aramaic, means a variety of things including just kidding, for no reason, nothing special and others.