to joke
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to joke
To tell jokes or make joking remarks. The word is used less often today and is considered somewhat old-fashioned or regional.
Der Onkel saß in der Ecke und witzelte mit den anderen Gästen.
The uncle sat in the corner and joked around with the other guests.
The verb 'witzen' (to joke) is derived directly from the noun 'der Witz' (the joke). It describes the action of telling or making jokes.
Er liebt es, auf Partys zu witzen.
He loves to joke at parties.
In contemporary standard German, this verb is considered somewhat old-fashioned or is used less often. You are more likely to find it in literature or in regional dialects.
Mein Großvater witzelte gerne über die Politik.
My grandfather liked to joke about politics.
When you want to express what someone is joking about, you use the preposition 'über' followed by the accusative.
Die Kollegen witzelten über den neuen Chef.
The colleagues joked about the new boss.
to joke
'scherzen' and 'witzen' both mean that someone does not mean something seriously or is making jokes. 'scherzen' sounds more natural today and fits many situations, including when someone is just making a humorous remark. 'witzen' more directly means telling jokes or making joking remarks, but it sounds less common, somewhat old-fashioned, or regional. In everyday language, 'scherzen' is usually the safer choice.
Beim Abendessen witzte Paul über seine kleinen Fehler im Büro.
At dinner, Paul joked about his small mistakes at the office.
Vor dem Termin scherzen wir noch kurz, damit die Stimmung lockerer wird.
Before the appointment, we joke around briefly to make the mood more relaxed.