What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the imperative ven (come), the preposition a (to), the infinitive jugar (to play) and conmigo (with me). The preposition a is required between the verb of motion ven and the infinitive jugar to indicate the purpose of the movement.
Which one should you use?
The phrase uses the informal tú command form, which is appropriate for children or peers. For a version that emphasizes the invitation, you can say Venga y juegue conmigo.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, the phrase Vení a jugar conmigo may be used. In Mexico, a commonly used expression is Ven a jugar conmigo, güey.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are inviting more than one person to play, you must use the plural imperative vengan instead of ven, resulting in vengan a jugar conmigo. To use a polite or formal register when inviting a single person, use venga instead of ven.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, an invitation to jugar between adults can be perceived as flirtatious or suggestive rather than innocent.
- The verb jugar is a distant linguistic relative of the English word 'joke'. Both words trace their ancestry back to the Latin word iocus, which meant a jest or a prank.
- While jugar means 'to play' in a game context, Spanish uses different verbs for playing a musical instrument, such as tocar.
Examples in context
- Venga a jugar conmigo después de clase, por favor.Come play with me after class, please.
- ¡Ven a jugar conmigo en el parque!Come play with me in the park!
- Tengo juguetes nuevos, ven a jugar conmigo.I have new toys, come play with me.
- Si quieres, ven a jugar conmigo un rato.If you want, come play with me for a while.
Example conversation
Two children are in a playroom.
- LucíaMateo, ven a jugar conmigo.Mateo, come play with me.
- Mateo¿A qué quieres jugar, Lucía?What do you want to play, Lucía?
- LucíaPodemos jugar con los bloques.We can play with the blocks.
- Mateo¡Vale, vamos!Okay, let's go!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, conmigo, jugar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
