Inklingo

How to Say "was playing" in Spanish

English → Spanish

jugaba

/hoo-GAH-bah//xuˈɣa.βa/

verbA2
Use 'jugaba' to describe an ongoing action or activity in the past, especially a game or pastime.
A child in a sunlit field happily playing with a wooden toy train, captured in a nostalgic style.

Examples

Cuando era niño, yo jugaba en el parque todas las tardes.

When I was a child, I used to play in the park every afternoon.

Ella jugaba con el perro cuando empezó a llover.

She was playing with the dog when it started to rain.

Usted jugaba muy bien al tenis hace años.

You used to play tennis very well years ago.

One word, two people

In this past form, 'jugaba' is used for both 'I' (yo) and 'he/she/you formal' (él/ella/usted). Use the person's name or a pronoun if you need to be extra clear.

The 'Movie' Tense

Think of 'jugaba' like a scene in a movie that is already in progress. It describes what was happening or what used to happen regularly, rather than a single completed action.

Jugaba vs. Jugué

Mistake: “Using 'jugué' to say 'I used to play every day.'”

Correction: Use 'jugaba' for habits. 'Jugué' is for one specific time, like 'I played soccer yesterday.'

tocaba

toh-KAH-bah/toˈkaβa/

verbA1
Use 'tocaba' when referring to playing a musical instrument.
A happy bear sitting on a wooden tree stump, actively playing a small wooden violin with a bow.

Examples

Mi abuelo tocaba el piano todos los domingos.

My grandfather used to play the piano every Sunday.

Ella tocaba la guitarra cuando la conocí.

She was playing the guitar when I met her.

No Preposition Needed

Unlike English ('play the piano'), Spanish uses the verb 'tocar' directly with the instrument ('tocar el piano') without a preposition.

sonaba

soh-NAH-bah/soˈnaβa/

verbA1
Use 'sonaba' to describe a sound that was being made, such as an alarm or music playing from a device.
A large, simple brass bell actively being rung, with stylized sound waves depicted as expanding arcs emanating outwards, illustrating the ongoing action of sounding.

Examples

El despertador sonaba muy fuerte cada mañana.

The alarm clock used to ring very loudly every morning.

Mientras comíamos, la música sonaba suavemente de fondo.

While we were eating, the music was sounding softly in the background.

Cuando llegué, la sirena de la policía sonaba a lo lejos.

When I arrived, the police siren was sounding in the distance.

The Imperfect Tense (Imperfecto)

This form describes actions that were repeated, habitual, or ongoing in the past. Think of it as 'used to...' or 'was/were -ing...'

Setting the Scene

We use 'sonaba' to describe the background sound or setting when another, shorter action (using the preterite tense) happened. Example: 'El teléfono sonaba (background), y luego lo cogí (short action).'

Using the Wrong Past Tense

Mistake: “The learner says: 'El despertador sonó cada mañana.'”

Correction: Say: 'El despertador sonaba cada mañana.' Use 'sonaba' (imperfect) for repeated actions, not 'sonó' (preterite), which is for a single, completed action.

Action vs. Sound

Learners often confuse 'jugaba' (playing a game/activity) with 'sonaba' (making a sound like an alarm). Remember that 'jugaba' implies an active participation, while 'sonaba' refers to a sound being produced, often passively.

Related Translations

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