jugando
/hoo-GAHN-doh/
playing
Jugando: Engaging in a game, like playing soccer.
jugando(Verb Form (Gerund))
playing
?engaging in a game, sport, or recreation
having fun
?casual activity
,performing
?acting a role (less common, see Definition 3)
📝 In Action
Los niños están jugando en el parque con una pelota.
A1The children are playing in the park with a ball.
¿Estás jugando al ajedrez o estás estudiando?
A2Are you playing chess or are you studying?
Mi equipo estuvo jugando muy bien hasta el final del partido.
B1My team was playing very well until the end of the game.
💡 Grammar Points
Using the Continuous Tense
In Spanish, we use the verb 'estar' (to be) followed by the gerund form 'jugando' to describe something happening at the moment: 'Estamos jugando' (We are playing).
Verbs of Motion
You can use 'jugando' after verbs like 'seguir' (to continue) or 'ir' (to go) to show a persistent or progressive action: 'Ella sigue jugando' (She keeps on playing).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Incorrect Preposition for Sports
Mistake: "Estamos jugando fútbol. (Missing 'a'.)"
Correction: Estamos jugando **al** fútbol. When talking about named sports or games, 'jugar' usually requires the preposition 'a' (or 'al' if the name is masculine).
⭐ Usage Tips
The Root Verb 'Jugar'
Remember that the base verb 'jugar' has a stem change from 'u' to 'ue' in the present tense (e.g., Yo juego), but the gerund 'jugando' stays consistent with the 'jug' root.
Jugando: Betting money or gambling.
jugando(Verb Form (Gerund))
gambling
?betting money
,staking
?risking a specific amount
wagering
?formal betting
📝 In Action
Él estaba jugando todo su sueldo en la lotería.
B1He was gambling his entire paycheck on the lottery.
La policía intervino el casino donde estaban jugando ilegalmente.
C1The police raided the casino where they were gambling illegally.
💡 Grammar Points
Linking to Money
When 'jugando' means gambling, it usually takes a direct object (the money or object being risked), unlike when playing a sport.
⭐ Usage Tips
Context is Key
If you hear someone is 'jugando dinero' (playing money), you can assume they are gambling, not just recreationally playing.
Jugando: Acting childishly or messing around.
jugando(Verb Form (Gerund))
messing around
?acting childishly/not seriously
,joking
?not being serious
fooling around
?casual
📝 In Action
Estás jugando con mis sentimientos, ¿no?
B2You're messing around with my feelings, aren't you?
¡Deja de estar jugando y concéntrate en tu trabajo!
B2Stop messing around and concentrate on your work!
💡 Grammar Points
Figurative Use
In this sense, 'jugando' is often followed by 'con' (with) when the speaker feels the other person is treating a serious matter as a game.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: jugando
Question 1 of 2
Which Spanish construction is the most common way to translate 'They are playing right now'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'jugando' ever function as an adjective?
Not usually. Unlike in English where 'playing' can modify a noun (e.g., 'playing field'), 'jugando' almost always functions as part of a verb phrase (like 'estoy jugando') or describes how an action is being done ('Salió corriendo y jugando').
Why does the base verb 'jugar' change from 'u' to 'ue' in the present tense, but 'jugando' does not?
The 'u' to 'ue' change (Yo *jue*go) is a pattern that only occurs when the stress falls directly on the verb root. Since the stress in 'jug**a**ndo' falls on the second syllable, the root stays simple ('jug').