Meaning
"Don't joke with me" is what you say when news sounds too good, or too bad, to be true, and you need the other person to be honest. It means "please be serious, is this real?" You're not angry. You're asking them not to play with your feelings, because this matters to you.
It is informal and a little emotional, so you hear it between friends, partners and family. In American speech, "Don't kid me", "Are you kidding me?" and "Seriously?" are even more common, and they do the same job. Said with a hard, cold voice, "don't joke with me" can also be a warning, as in "I'm not in the mood for jokes." The situation and the tone tell you which.
In a conversation
- Chen
- Olivia
- Chen
- Olivia
- Chen
- Olivia
Say it out loud
Tap a sentence to hear it. Say it after the voice.
Check yourself
Practice · 3 min
Listen, then say each line. Put strong stress on "don't", and let your voice rise on the question that follows.
Say it today
Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.