jugar
/hoo-gar/
to play
Jugar is the most common Spanish verb meaning 'to play' (a game or sport).
jugar(Verb)
to play
?games, sports
to have fun
?general recreation, especially for children
📝 In Action
Los niños juegan en el parque todas las tardes.
A1The children play in the park every afternoon.
¿Quieres jugar al tenis conmigo este fin de semana?
A1Do you want to play tennis with me this weekend?
Ayer jugamos a las cartas hasta muy tarde.
A2Yesterday we played cards until very late.
💡 Grammar Points
The Magic 'a'
When you talk about playing a specific sport or game, you almost always need to add 'a' after 'jugar'. So it's 'jugar a las cartas' (play cards) or 'jugar al fútbol' (play soccer).
The Shape-Shifting Stem
Notice how the 'u' in 'jugar' changes to 'ue' in some forms, like 'yo juego' (I play). This happens in the present tense for most persons, but not for 'nosotros' (we) or 'vosotros' (you all, informal).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Playing an Instrument
Mistake: "Me gusta jugar la guitarra."
Correction: Me gusta tocar la guitarra. For instruments, Spanish uses the verb 'tocar', not 'jugar'. 'Jugar' is for games and sports.
Forgetting the 'a'
Mistake: "¿Quieres jugar tenis?"
Correction: ¿Quieres jugar al tenis? While you might hear people drop the 'a' in casual speech, it's a good habit to always include it when talking about a specific game or sport.
⭐ Usage Tips
Beyond Games
While it mainly means 'to play,' you can also use 'jugar' just to mean 'kids playing' in general, without mentioning a specific game. For example, 'Los niños están jugando afuera' (The kids are playing outside).
In another context, jugar means 'to bet' or 'to gamble' money.
jugar(Verb)
to bet
?money, gambling
to gamble
?general risk-taking
,to stake
?putting something at risk
📝 In Action
Mi abuelo juega a la lotería todas las semanas.
B1My grandfather plays the lottery every week.
No me gusta jugar dinero en las máquinas tragamonedas.
B1I don't like to bet money on the slot machines.
Se jugó todos sus ahorros en una mala inversión.
B2He gambled away all his savings on a bad investment.
⭐ Usage Tips
'Jugar' vs. 'Apostar'
'Jugar' can mean to bet, like 'jugar a la lotería'. The verb 'apostar' is more specific and always means to bet or wager money on an outcome. You can use them interchangeably sometimes, but 'apostar' is clearer if money is on the line.
Jugar can also be used figuratively to mean 'to play a role' or 'to have influence'.
jugar(Verb)
to play a role
?figurative, to have an influence
to toy with
?emotions, ideas
,to mess with
?informal, relationships
📝 In Action
La tecnología juega un papel fundamental en la educación moderna.
B2Technology plays a fundamental role in modern education.
Por favor, no juegues con mis sentimientos.
B1Please, don't play with my feelings.
Varios factores jugaron en su contra durante el juicio.
C1Several factors played against him during the trial.
⭐ Usage Tips
A Key Phrase to Know
The phrase 'jugar un papel' or 'jugar un rol' is very common in professional and academic Spanish. It means 'to play a role' and is a great way to sound more advanced.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: jugar
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'jugar' to mean 'to bet' or 'to gamble'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do you say 'jugar al fútbol' but 'tocar el piano'? They both mean 'to play' in English!
That's a great question because it's a very common point of confusion. In Spanish, you use 'jugar' for sports and games, but for musical instruments, you must use the verb 'tocar'. Think of 'tocar' as meaning 'to touch', which is what you do to an instrument's keys or strings.
I'm confused about the spelling changes, like 'juego' but also 'jugué'. Why?
This happens with many Spanish verbs! 'Jugar' is a 'stem-changing' verb, so the 'u' becomes 'ue' in most present tense forms (yo juego, tú juegas...). Then, in the past tense 'yo' form, it changes to 'jugué' to keep the hard 'g' sound. If it were 'jugé', it would sound like 'hoo-hey'. It takes a little practice, but you'll get the hang of these patterns!