peón
/peˈon/masculine
The Spanish word for the chess piece 'pawn' is peón.
The noun peón is used specifically to refer to the pawn in a game of chess. It is a masculine noun.
Meaning: chess piece (noun)
Which one should you use?
While peón refers to the chess piece, the related verb empeñar refers to the act of pawning an object to provide security for a loan.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of peón is peones.
How do you pronounce it?
/peˈon/
Did you know?
- Because it derives from the Latin word for 'foot', peón is a linguistic relative of the English word 'pedestrian'.
- Outside of chess, peón is a common term for a day laborer or a farmhand. This usage mirrors the chess piece's role as the lowest rank of the army.
- In Spanish, calling someone a peón can be a political insult. It implies the person is a mere tool being manipulated by those with more power.
Examples in context
- Tom promovió su peón a dama.Tom promoted his pawn into a queen.This sentence shows how to describe a pawn being promoted to a queen.Tatoeba #9950195 by carlosalberto, translation #9361389 by soliloquist
- El peón blanco tomó al peón negro de pasada.The white pawn took the black pawn "en passant".This sentence illustrates the use of the term peón in the context of the 'en passant' move.Tatoeba #9952001 by carlosalberto, translation #9950833 by carlosalberto
- Al final del juego, el rey y el peón vuelven a la misma caja.At the end of the game, the king and the pawn go back in the same box.This sentence describes the king and the peón being returned to a box after a game.Tatoeba #10261882 by carlosalberto, translation #9049536 by soliloquist
- El peón avanzó dos casillas en su primer movimiento.The pawn moved two squares on its first move.
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and María are playing chess in a park.
- MateoMueve el peón al centro.Move the pawn to the center.
- MaríaNo, ese peón es muy débil.No, that pawn is very weak.
- MateoPero es necesario para proteger al rey.But it is necessary to protect the king.
- MaríaTienes razón, lo moveré.You are right, I will move it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pawn” translations and entries peón, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries peón, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
