Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| hacer malabarismos | /aθeɾ malabaɾismos/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /aseɾ malabaɾismos/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
| malabarear | /malabaɾeˈaɾ/ |
| hacer juegos malabares | /aθeɾ xweɡos malabaɾes/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /aseɾ xweɡos malabaɾes/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
This phrase describes the act of manipulating objects artistically. Beyond its literal meaning, you can use the construction hacer malabares con… metaphorically, just as in English, to describe managing multiple tasks or responsibilities simultaneously, such as hacer malabares con el tiempo (to juggle with time).
Which one should you use?
There are different ways to express this action. Hacer malabarismos and hacer juegos malabares are periphrastic constructions using the verb hacer followed by a noun. In contrast, malabarear is a single, concise conjugated verb. malabarear is more common in informal speech.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The phrase hacer malabares is a common alternative to hacer malabarismos and is used interchangeably across most Spanish-speaking regions.
How do you pronounce it?
/aθeɾ malabaɾismos/
Did you know?
- The word malabar refers to a person from the Malabar Coast of India, which is the historical origin of the term in Spanish.
- If you call someone a malabarista, you might not be talking about their circus skills, but rather describing them as a cunning or smooth talker.
- While malabarear is a standard verb, speakers in Spain are much more likely to use the phrase hacer malabares than those in Latin America.
Examples in context
- No sabía que podías malabarear.I didn't know you could juggle.This sentence is useful for hearing how to use the verb malabarear.Tatoeba #2314235 by marcelostockle, translation #2290383 by CK
- El mago hace malabares con cuchillos afiladosThe magician juggles with sharp knives
- Ella dedica tiempo a practicar la habilidad de malabaresShe dedicates time to practicing the skill of juggling
- Él puede hacer malabarismos con tres pelotas.He can juggle with three balls.
- ¿Quieres aprender a hacer malabarismos?Do you want to learn how to juggle?
Example conversation
A street performer is practicing in a park.
- María¡Mira, Mateo! Ese hombre sabe hacer malabarismos muy bien.Look, Mateo! That man knows how to juggle very well.
- MateoEs increíble, María. Tiene mucho talento.It's incredible, María. He has a lot of talent.
- MaríaMe gustaría intentar hacer malabarismos algún día.I would like to try juggling someday.
- MateoYo también, pero seguro que es difícil.Me too, but I'm sure it is difficult.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “juggle” translations and entries malabarear, 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 hacer, malabarear, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
