Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| videojugador | /ˌbideoxuɡaˈdoɾ/ | masculine |
| jugón | /xuˈɡon/ | masculine |
| jugona | /xuɡona/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
The term refers to a person who plays video games.
What does it mean word for word?
The word videojugador is a compound of video (video) and jugador (player).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Videojugador is a term used to specifically emphasize that someone plays video games and is considered formal. The English loanword gamer is widely used and understood in Spanish-speaking gaming communities and is informal. In informal contexts, one might also use viciado or viciada to refer to someone who is a gaming addict.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, gamer is the most commonly used term. In Argentina, jugador or jugadora is commonly used for gamers. In Spain, you may come across the term friki de los videojuegos, which means "video game geek".
How does it change in a sentence?
To specify a female video game player, use the feminine form videojugadora.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌbideoxuɡaˈdoɾ/
Did you know?
- The Spanish word viciado used for gamers comes from vicio, which means 'vice' or 'sin'. While it literally translates to 'addict', it is often used playfully among friends to describe someone who spends too much time playing.
- The root of jugador comes from the Latin iocus, which means 'joke' or 'jest'. This reveals that the ancient origin of 'playing a game' was linked to the idea of playing a prank or joking around.
- In Spain, the term friki is a loanword from the English 'freak'. Unlike the negative English connotation, calling a gamer a friki de los videojuegos can be a badge of honor and passion.
Examples in context
- Me considero un jugador apasionado de los videojuegos.I consider myself a passionate gamer.
- Mi hermana es una videojugadora experta en juegos de estrategia.My sister is an expert video gamer in strategy games.
- ¿Qué videojuego estás jugando, gamer?What video game are you playing, gamer?
- José es un viciado de los juegos de rol.José is a gaming addict when it comes to role-playing games.
- Sara es una jugona empedernida, siempre está al tanto de los últimos lanzamientos.Sara is a hardcore gamer, she's always up to date with the latest releases.
Example conversation
Sofía and Daniel are talking about their hobbies.
- Sofía¿Te gustan los videojuegos, Daniel?Do you like video games, Daniel?
- DanielSí, soy un videojugador muy activo.Yes, I am a very active gamer.
- Sofía¿Qué juegos prefieres jugar?What games do you prefer to play?
- DanielMe gustan los juegos de aventura.I like adventure games.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gamer” translations and entries videojugador, jugón, 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.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries jugón, videojugador, CC BY-SA 4.0.
