Skip to content

scherzo

joke; prank

noun SKER-tsoh Rare
Mind & Emotions Attitudes

Origin: From German Scherz, 'jest'.

Also means

musical scherzo

Usage Note

Scherzo is masculine; the plural is scherzi. The phrase per scherzo means 'as a joke / jokingly'. In music, a scherzo is a lively movement (as in Beethoven's symphonies) — this meaning is the same word borrowed back into other languages. Non è uno scherzo ('it's no joke') expresses that something is serious or difficult.

Examples

"L'ho detto solo per scherzo."

Natural Translation

I said it only as a joke.

Literal Translation

It-I-have said only for joke.

Explore Italian by topic