¿quieres jugar al escondite?
The English phrase "do you want to play hide and seek" is translated into Spanish as ¿quieres jugar al escondite?
This phrase is a question used to ask someone if they would like to play a game of hide and seek.
Which one should you use?
¿Quieres jugar a las escondidas? is an informal way to ask the question, and ¿Te apetece jugar al escondite? specifically means "Do you feel like playing hide and seek?"
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, the game is often referred to as las escondidillas, so you might say ¿quieres jugar al escondidillas?
How does it change in a sentence?
To ask a group of people if they want to play, change the verb from quieres to quieren to form ¿quieren jugar al escondite? To use the formal "you" when asking an adult, use quiere instead of quieres in the phrase ¿quiere jugar al escondite?
Did you know?
- The word jugar is a distant relative of the English word 'joke', as both descend from the Latin 'iocus' meaning 'jest' or 'play'.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, the game is not just about hiding, but involves a 'home base' called a base or casa that players must touch to be 'safe'.
- While escondite refers to the game, the verb esconder can be used metaphorically in Spanish to describe someone who is shy or 'hiding' their true personality.
Examples in context
- ¡Hola! ¿Quieres jugar a las escondidas?Hi! Do you want to play hide and seek?
- ¡Ey, hermanito! ¿Te apetece jugar al escondite?Hey, little brother! Do you feel like playing hide and seek?
- ¡Oye! ¿Quieres jugar al escondite?Hey! Do you want to play hide and seek?
Example conversation
Two siblings are in the living room on a rainy afternoon.
- ElenaMateo, ¿quieres jugar al escondite?Mateo, do you want to play hide and seek?
- MateoSí, Elena, me encantaría.Yes, Elena, I would love to.
- Elena¡Perfecto! Yo cuento primero.Perfect! I will count first.
- Mateo¡Vale, me voy a esconder!Okay, I'm going to hide!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries escondite, jugar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
