estava brincando

was playing; was joking

→ estar
phrase Uncommon #9,664
was playing; was joking Used in the imperfect tense. Depending on context, it can mean someone was literally playing or that they were joking/not serious.
PO: Você achou que eu estava brincando?
EN: Did you think I was joking?

Eu só estava brincando, o que quer dizer homem.

I was just kidding. What does “man” mean?

— Yojimbo, o Guarda-Costas (1961)

Robby estava brincando.

Robby was just kidding.

— A Doce Vida (1960)

Pensei que você estava brincando.

I thought you were joking.

Eu estava brincando aqui.

I was just kidding.

Tom não estava brincando.

Tom wasn’t joking.

O Tom não estava brincando.

Tom wasn't kidding.

Ela estava brincando com as crianças e pararam na manifestação.

She was playing with the children, and they stopped at the demonstration.

— Conflito das Águas (2011)

Tom estava brincando com o cachorro de Mary.

Tom was playing with Mary's dog.

O gato estava brincando com um rato vivo.

The cat was playing with a live mouse.

No início, eu achava que Tom estava brincando.

At first, I thought Tom was joking.

Você pensou que eu estava brincando?

Did you think I was joking?

Eu acho que Tom estava brincando.

I think Tom was joking.

O brinquedo com o qual o menino estava brincando está quebrado.

The toy the boy was playing with is broken.

Eu só estava brincando.

I was just kidding.

— Crematório (2015)

Eu pensei que Tom estava brincando.

I thought Tom was joking.

Estava brincando!

I was just kidding!

— Perfeitos Desconhecidos (2016)

Onde é que Tony estava brincando, então?

So where was Tony playing, then?

Eu estava brincando, companheiro.

I was just kidding, mate.

— Em Campo Minado (2014)

Eu acho que o Tom estava brincando.

I think Tom was joking.

Ela estava brincando.

She was joking.

— Oppenheimer (2023)

Tom estava brincando no quintal.

Tom was playing in the backyard.

Eu pensei que você estava brincando.

I thought you were joking.

Pensei que ela estava brincando.

I thought she was joking.

O menino estava brincando no parque.

The boy was playing in the park.

Diga a Tom que eu estava brincando.

Tell Tom I was just kidding.

Tom percebeu que Maria não estava brincando.

Tom realized that Maria wasn't joking.

O Tom estava brincando?

Was Tom joking?

Eu sabia que você estava brincando.

I knew you were kidding.

Tudo bem, eu estava brincando.

Okay, I was just kidding.

— Sem Amor (2017)

Estava brincando.

I was just kidding.

— A Liberdade é Azul (1993)

Pensei que ele estava brincando.

I thought he was joking.

Eu não acho que o Tom estava brincando.

I don't think Tom was joking.

estava brincando.

I was just kidding.

— Kung-Fusão (2004)

Eu estava brincando.

I was just kidding.

— Trem-Bala (2022)

Eu só estava brincando quando disse isso.

I was just kidding when I said that.

Tom estava brincando.

Tom was joking.

Ele estava brincando com um isqueiro.

He was playing with a lighter.