juego
/ˈxweɡo/
juego is the Spanish word for game.
juego refers to a physical or mental activity played for enjoyment or competition. For example, you can use the phrase juego de mesa to refer specifically to board games.
Which one should you use?
In context, juego can mean either the noun 'a game' or the verb 'I play'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, particularly in Mexico, partida is commonly used to refer to a game or a match.
How does it change in a sentence?
juego is also the first-person singular present indicative form of the verb jugar (to play), meaning 'I play'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈxweɡo/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, you cannot use juego to describe playing a musical instrument. For that activity, you must use the verb tocar, which literally means 'to touch'.
- A juego can also refer to a matching set of physical objects, such as un juego de llaves for a set of keys or un juego de sábanas for a set of sheets.
- The Spanish word juego is a direct relative of the English word 'joke'. Both descend from the Latin jocus, which originally meant a jest or a piece of play.
Examples in context
- Buenos días, señor. ¿Le gustaría participar en este juego?Good morning, sir. Would you like to participate in this game?
- ¡Vamos a jugar un jueguito de cartas esta noche!Let's play a little card game tonight!
- ¡Me encanta jugar videojuegos los fines de semana!I love playing video games on weekends!
- Vamos a pasar la tarde jugando un juego de mesa en familia.We're going to spend the afternoon playing a board game with the family.
- Los niños están jugando a las escondidas en el jardín.The kids are playing hide and seek in the garden.
- Vamos a organizar un juego de trivia en la fiesta de cumpleaños.We're going to organize a trivia game at the birthday party.
- Este juego es muy divertido.This game is very fun.
- El próximo juego es el sábado.The next game is on Saturday.
- Mañana tenemos un juego importante.Tomorrow we have an important game.
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are choosing something to do at home.
- Daniel¿Quieres jugar un juego conmigo, Sofía?Do you want to play a game with me, Sofía?
- SofíaSí, Daniel. ¿Qué juego tenemos?Yes, Daniel. What game do we have?
- DanielTengo un juego de cartas nuevo.I have a new card game.
- Sofía¡Perfecto! Empecemos ahora.Perfect! Let's start now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry juego, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries juego, CC BY-SA 4.0.
