me gusta jugar
/me ɡusta xuɡaɾ/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I like to play" is expressed in Spanish as me gusta jugar.
This phrase is used to express that someone enjoys the activity of playing. When you want to specify a particular sport or game, you often use the construction jugar a followed by a definite article, such as jugar al fútbol or jugar al tenis.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase me gusta jugar literally translates to "it pleases me to play".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, you may hear people use Me copa jugar or the more emphatic Me re gusta jugar instead of the standard me gusta jugar. In Spain, the slang term Me mola jugar is popular.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase me gusta jugar, the verb gustar is used in its third-person singular form. This is because the grammatical subject is the act of playing itself (the infinitive), not the person who likes it.
How do you pronounce it?
/me ɡusta xuɡaɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying yo gusto jugar. This is a common error for English speakers. Instead, use me gusta jugar to correctly express that something pleases you.
Did you know?
- While jugar is used for games and sports, Spanish uses a completely different verb, tocar, when saying you like to play a musical instrument.
- The Spanish word jugar is a distant relative of the English word 'joke'. Both come from the Latin word iocus, which meant a 'joke' or 'jest'.
- In Spanish, the word jugar refers to games and sports, but the word for 'playing' in the sense of a child's imaginative play is often expressed as jugar a ser, meaning 'to play at being'.
Examples in context
- Me gusta jugar futbol.I like to play soccer.This example shows how to use the phrase with the sport soccer.Tatoeba #3771404 by cueyayotl, translation #253860 by CK
- Me gusta jugar al golf.I like to play golf.This example demonstrates the usage of the phrase with golf.Tatoeba #708552 by Shishir, translation #56352 by CK
- Me gusta jugar al tenis.I like to play tennis.This example shows the phrase used with tennis.Tatoeba #924124 by Shishir, translation #39392 by CK
- A mí me encanta jugar videojuegos con mis amigos.I love playing video games with my friends.
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena are talking about their hobbies.
- MateoA mí me gusta jugar videojuegos.I like to play video games.
- ElenaA mí no, prefiero leer.I don't, I prefer to read.
- Mateo¿Y a ti te gusta jugar ajedrez?And do you like to play chess?
- ElenaSí, me gusta jugar con mi abuelo.Yes, I like to play with my grandfather.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries jugar, me, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
