juega
/HWEH-gah/
plays
Juega (plays): Depicting someone actively engaged in a game or sport.
juega(Verb)
plays
?He/She plays, You (formal) play
,play
?Command: Play! (informal)
is playing
?present continuous action
📝 In Action
Mi hija juega al fútbol en el parque.
A1My daughter plays soccer in the park.
Usted juega muy bien a las cartas.
A2You (formal) play cards very well.
¡Juega la pelota rápido!
A2Play the ball quickly! (Informal command to a friend)
💡 Grammar Points
Stem Change (u → ue)
Jugar is special! The 'u' in the middle changes to 'ue' in most present forms (juego, juegas, juega), but NOT for 'nosotros' or 'vosotros' (jugamos, jugáis).
Using 'Juega' for Commands
'¡Juega!' is the simple, informal way to tell one friend to play or take action (tú command). For formal commands, you must use '¡Juegue!'
❌ Common Pitfalls
Preposition for Sports
Mistake: "Él juega el fútbol."
Correction: Él juega al fútbol. (Use 'a + el' contraction 'al' when talking about playing a specific sport or game.)
Juega (gambles): Showing the action of playing a game of chance.
juega(Verb)
gambles
?He/She gambles
,bets
?He/She places a bet
speculates
?investing
📝 In Action
Mi tío juega a la lotería cada semana.
B1My uncle bets on the lottery every week.
Ella juega con el dinero de la empresa.
B2She gambles/takes risks with the company's money.
Juega (plays a role): Illustrating the concept of taking on a specific responsibility or part.
juega(Verb)
plays a role
?He/She is involved
,is a factor
?It influences something
📝 In Action
La experiencia juega un papel importante en su decisión.
B2Experience plays an important role in his decision.
El clima juega en contra de los agricultores.
C1The weather works against the farmers.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: juega
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'juega' as an informal command?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'juega' have a 'ue' but 'jugamos' doesn't?
Jugar is a 'boot verb' or stem-changing verb. The vowel 'u' changes to 'ue' when the stress falls on it. In 'jugamos' and 'jugáis' (we/you plural), the stress is on the '-ga-' part, so the stem stays regular.
When do I say 'juega al' versus just 'juega'?
Use 'juega al' (a + el) when the object is a specific sport or game, like 'fútbol' or 'tenis'. Use just 'juega' when the object is a toy or person, like 'juega con el perro' (plays with the dog).