Inklingo

How to Say "i play" in Spanish

English → Spanish

juego

/khweh-go//ˈxweɣo/

verbA1general
Use 'juego' when referring to the act of playing a game, sport, or participating in a playful activity.
A solitary person wearing sports gear actively kicking a soccer ball across a bright green grassy field.

Examples

Yo juego al fútbol con mis amigos los domingos.

I play soccer with my friends on Sundays.

Yo juego al tenis todos los sábados.

I play tennis every Saturday.

Juego con mis amigos en el parque.

I play with my friends in the park.

Si no te importa, yo no juego. Estoy cansado.

If you don't mind, I'm not playing. I'm tired.

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'.

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'.

hago

/AH-go//ˈa.ɣo/

verbB1general
Use 'hago' when describing playing a role or character in a play, movie, or even a metaphorical situation.
A person wearing a simple crown and a cape, standing proudly on a small stage, playing the role of a king.

Examples

En la nueva película, hago de detective.

In the new movie, I play a detective.

En la obra de teatro, hago el papel del rey.

In the play, I play the role of the king.

A veces me hago el tonto para no tener que responder.

Sometimes I play dumb so I don't have to answer.

toco

/TO-ko//ˈtoko/

verbA1general
Use 'toco' specifically when talking about playing a musical instrument.
A person smiling while strumming a small acoustic guitar.

Examples

Mi hermana toca la guitarra muy bien.

My sister plays the guitar very well.

Toco el piano desde que tengo cinco años.

I have played the piano since I was five years old.

Esta noche toco una canción nueva para mis amigos.

Tonight I am playing a new song for my friends.

Don't use 'Jugar'

Mistake: “Yo juego el piano.”

Correction: Yo toco el piano. ('Jugar' is reserved for games and sports, never for musical instruments.)

Confusing 'juego' and 'hago'

The most common mistake is using 'juego' when you mean to play a role. Remember, 'juego' is for games and sports, while 'hago' is for acting or taking on a part in a performance or situation.

Related Translations

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