ajedrez

ah-heh-DREHS/axeˈðɾes/

“ajedrez” means “chess” in Spanish (the board game).

chess

Also: chess set

NounmA1

A high-contrast image of a chess board with several simplified black and white chess pieces arranged on the squares. A king piece is clearly visible.

📝 In Action

¿Sabes jugar al ajedrez?

Do you know how to play chess?

Mi abuelo me enseñó a mover las piezas de ajedrez cuando era niño.

My grandfather taught me how to move the chess pieces when I was a child.

La partida de ajedrez se prolongó durante tres horas, requiriendo mucha concentración estratégica.

The game of chess lasted for three hours, requiring a lot of strategic concentration.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

jugar al ajedrez – to play chess
partida de ajedrez – game of chess
tablero de ajedrez – chessboard

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "ajedrez" in Spanish:

chess→chess set→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: ajedrez

Question 1 of 2

Which phrase correctly means 'He is learning to play chess'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼

ajedrecista(chess player) — Noun

tablero(board) — Noun

🎵 Rhymes▼

nuezpez

📚 Etymology▼

This word traveled a long way! It comes from the Arabic word *ash-shaṭranj*, which itself came from the Persian word for the game. Spanish adopted it in the Middle Ages, changing the sound over time to the 'ajedrez' we use today.

First recorded: 10th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: xadrezCatalan: escacs

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the word for a 'chess player' in Spanish?

The word is 'ajedrecista.' It is one of the nouns that doesn't change form based on gender, so you use 'el ajedrecista' (male player) or 'la ajedrecista' (female player).

How do you say 'checkmate' in Spanish?

The standard term is 'jaque mate' (pronounced HAH-keh MAH-teh). 'Jaque' means 'check'.