The Spanish verb burlar carries the meaning of deceiving or mocking someone, often implying a form of trickery or evasion. It can also mean to ridicule in a playful or contemptuous manner. In legal contexts, it may refer to evading laws or regulations. The usage of burlar can be found in both oral and written forms, but tends to appear more frequently in informal spoken contexts due to its association with jesting and playful behavior.
Él siempre intenta burlar a sus profesores con excusas.
He always tries to trick his teachers with excuses.
No deberías burlar a las personas por su apariencia.
You shouldn't mock people for their appearance.
El abogado encontró una manera de burlar la ley.
The lawyer found a way to evade the law.
The verb burlar is often used in various idiomatic expressions in the Spanish language, indicating both playful and serious contexts of evasion or mockery.
Burlar la muerte
To cheat death
Example: El héroe logró burlar la muerte en varias ocasiones.
The hero managed to cheat death on several occasions.
Burlar la vigilancia
To evade surveillance
Example: El ladrón burló la vigilancia de la policía con astucia.
The thief evaded police surveillance cleverly.
Burlar la ley
To evade the law
Example: Es muy peligroso intentar burlar la ley con artimañas.
It is very dangerous to try to evade the law with tricks.
No te burles de mí
Don’t mock me
Example: No te burles de mí solo porque cometí un error.
Don't mock me just because I made a mistake.
Burlar las expectativas
To defy expectations
Example: El equipo burló las expectativas de todos al ganar el torneo.
The team defied everyone's expectations by winning the tournament.
The verb burlar originates from the Latin word "burȳla," which means "to deride" or "to mock." It has evolved through the centuries, maintaining its core meanings related to deception and jest.