timbear
/timbeˈaɾ/South America
To gamble in Spanish can be expressed as timbear, escolasear or escolasar.
Meaning: to play risky games for monetary gain (verb)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| timbear | /timbeˈaɾ/ | South America |
| escolasear | /eskolaseaɾ/ (from spelling rules) | |
| escolasar | /eskolasaɾ/ (from spelling rules) | Argentina |
These verbs mean to play risky games for monetary gain. When discussing the concept of gambling, you may encounter El azar, which refers to chance or luck and Las apuestas deportivas, which means sports betting. If you win a large sum, it is known as El premio mayor (the jackpot). To describe a risky venture itself, you can use the noun phrase jugada riesgosa.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term escolasar is used specifically in Argentina. Similarly, timbear is a term used in South America.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/timbeˈaɾ/
When do people say it?
When a person wants to acknowledge that the outcome of a gamble is no longer under their control, they may use the phrase La suerte está echada (the luck is cast).
Did you know?
- The word azar comes from the Arabic 'az-zahr', which refers to the dice used in games of chance.
- In some contexts, timba can describe a chaotic or fraudulent situation, extending the idea of a risky gamble to a general state of disorder.
- In South America, the noun timba can refer not only to the act of gambling but specifically to the illicit or underground gambling dens where timbear occurs.
Examples in context
- Es importante analizar las probabilidades antes de apostar.It is important to analyze the probabilities before betting.
- Ellos suelen jugar a los dados los fines de semana.They usually play dice on weekends.
- Vamos a echar una apuesta en el partido de fútbol.Let's place a bet on the soccer match.
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are talking about their weekend plans.
- LucíaMateo, ¿qué vas a hacer mañana?Mateo, what are you going to do tomorrow?
- MateoVoy a timbear un poco con mis amigos.I'm going to gamble a bit with my friends.
- LucíaTen cuidado, no pierdas mucho dinero.Be careful, don't lose too much money.
- MateoNo te preocupes, Lucía, es solo diversión.Don't worry, Lucía, it's just for fun.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gamble” translations and entries timbear, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
