Inklingo

How to Say "pawn" in Spanish

English → Spanish

peón

nounB1
Use 'peón' when referring to the chess piece in a game of chess.

Examples

El rey blanco está en jaque y solo puede salvarse sacrificando un peón.

The white king is in check and can only be saved by sacrificing a pawn.

empeño

nounB2
Use 'empeño' when an item is left as collateral to secure a loan.

Examples

Necesitaba dinero urgente, así que dejé mi guitarra en empeño.

I needed money urgently, so I left my guitar in pawn.

marioneta

/mah-ryo-NEH-tah//maɾjoˈneta/

nounB2
Use 'marioneta' to describe someone who is controlled by another person and acts according to their wishes, like a puppet.
A small wooden figure being moved by a large pair of hands in the sky.

Examples

El asistente era una simple marioneta del gerente.

The assistant was a simple puppet of the manager.

El director es solo una marioneta del dueño de la empresa.

The director is just a puppet of the company owner.

No quiero ser la marioneta de nadie.

I don't want to be anyone's puppet.

Muchos creen que el político es una marioneta del gobierno extranjero.

Many believe the politician is a puppet of the foreign government.

Describing Men

Even when describing a man, the word remains 'una marioneta'. You would say 'Él es una marioneta', never 'un marioneto'.

Gender confusion

Mistake: “Saying 'Él es un marioneta'.”

Correction: Always use 'una marioneta' because the word itself is feminine regardless of who it describes.

títere

nounB2
Use 'títere' to refer to someone being manipulated or used by others for their own purposes, similar to 'marioneta'.

Examples

El político se negó a ser un títere de los intereses económicos.

The politician refused to be a puppet of economic interests.

Confusing Figurative 'Pawn' with Literal Meanings

Learners often confuse 'peón' (chess piece) with the figurative uses of 'pawn' like being manipulated. Remember that 'peón' is almost exclusively for chess. For figurative uses, 'marioneta' and 'títere' are the correct choices, with 'empeño' being for collateral.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.