juego
“juego” means “game” in Spanish. It has 4 different meanings depending on context:
game
Also: play, sport
📝 In Action
El fútbol es mi juego favorito.
A1Soccer is my favorite game.
Compramos un juego de mesa para la fiesta.
A2We bought a board game for the party.
Los niños están en el parque de juegos.
A2The children are at the playground (park of games).
set
Also: match
📝 In Action
Necesito un nuevo juego de llaves.
A2I need a new set of keys.
El sofá viene con un juego de cojines.
B1The sofa comes with a set of cushions.
Este collar hace juego con tus aretes.
B1This necklace matches your earrings.
gambling
📝 In Action
El juego puede ser una adicción peligrosa.
B1Gambling can be a dangerous addiction.
Perdió todo su dinero en el juego.
B2He lost all his money gambling.
I play
Also: I am playing
📝 In Action
Yo juego al tenis todos los sábados.
A1I play tennis every Saturday.
Juego con mis amigos en el parque.
A1I play with my friends in the park.
Si no te importa, yo no juego. Estoy cansado.
A2If you don't mind, I'm not playing. I'm tired.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: juego
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'juego' to mean a 'set' of items?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'iocus', which meant 'joke' or 'jest'. Over time, its meaning broadened in Spanish to include fun activities and games in general.
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'juego' and 'partido'?
Think of 'juego' as the general idea of a 'game' (like 'the game of chess'), while 'partido' is a specific 'match' or 'game' between opponents (like 'the soccer match on Sunday'). You play a 'juego', but you watch or participate in a 'partido'.
Is 'juego' always masculine? Can I say 'la juego'?
When 'juego' is a noun (a thing, like 'a game' or 'a set'), it is always masculine, so you always use 'el juego' or 'un juego'. You would never say 'la juego'. When it's a verb ('I play'), it doesn't have a gender.