juego
/khweh-go/
game
Juego (Noun): A game or activity for fun, such as a board game.
juego(Noun)
game
?An activity for fun or sport, e.g., a board game or soccer game.
play
?The act of playing in general.
,sport
?Used in plural, 'juegos', like in 'Juegos Olímpicos'.
📝 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).
⭐ Usage Tips
Game vs. Match
Use 'juego' for the general concept of a game ('juego de cartas' - card game). Use 'partido' when talking about a specific competitive match between two teams, like in soccer or tennis.
Juego (Noun): A set or collection of matching items (e.g., a set of dishes).
📝 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.
⭐ Usage Tips
Thinking in Sets
Whenever you see a group of items that are meant to be used together (keys, sheets, tools, dishes), 'juego' is a great word to describe them as a single unit.
Juego (Noun): Gambling or the activity of betting money.
📝 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.
⭐ Usage Tips
Context is Key
This meaning is very specific. You'll almost always see it with words like 'dinero' (money), 'adicción' (addiction), or 'apostar' (to bet) nearby, which helps you know it means 'gambling'.
Juego (Verb, 1st person singular present): I play (from the verb jugar).
juego(Verb)
I play
?The action of playing a game or sport.
I am playing
?Can also be used for actions happening right now.
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'Boot' Verb
The base verb 'jugar' is a 'stem-changing' verb. Notice how the 'u' changes to 'ue' for most forms (juego, juegas) but not for 'nosotros' (jugamos) or 'vosotros' (jugáis). This creates a shape like a boot in the conjugation chart!
Playing a Sport: Use 'a'
When you say you play a specific sport or game, you need to add 'a' after the verb. For example, 'Juego al fútbol' (I play soccer) or 'Juego a las cartas' (I play cards).
Spelling Change in the Past
To keep the hard 'g' sound in the 'yo' form of the simple past, the spelling changes from 'g' to 'gu'. So, 'I played' is 'jugué', not 'jugé'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the 'a'
Mistake: "Yo juego tenis."
Correction: Yo juego al tenis. When you play a specific game or sport, you almost always need to include 'a' or 'a la/al'.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: juego
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'juego' to mean a 'set' of items?
📚 More Resources
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.