What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is built using the verb dejar (to leave/let/stop) followed by the preposition de and the infinitive jugar (to play).
Which one should you use?
While deja de jugar is the standard way to say "quit playing", you may choose different variations based on your target audience or location. For example, to specifically tell someone to stop joking, use Deje de bromear. If you want to tell someone to stop acting foolish, you can use Deja de hacer el tonto.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Regional variations exist: in Mexico, you can use Deja de hacer payasadas instead of Deje de hacer tonterías. In Argentina, you might hear the more informal and direct Dejá de joder to express the same sentiment. In Spain, Deja de hacer el tonto can be replaced by Deja de hacer el imbécil, though be aware that this second version is considered more offensive.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form deja de jugar uses the informal imperative. For formal situations, use deje de jugar. If you are addressing a group of people, use the plural form dejen de jugar. To express the continuous action of stopping in a sentence, the verb dejar is conjugated into the present participle form dejando, resulting in dejando de jugar (stopping playing).
Did you know?
- While deja de jugar refers to games, Spanish uses a different verb, tocar, when talking about playing a musical instrument.
- The Spanish word jugar is a distant relative of the English word 'joke'. Both come from a Latin root meaning 'jest' or 'joke'.
- In Argentina, replacing jugar with joder in the phrase Dejá de joder shifts the meaning from 'stop playing' to a much more aggressive demand to stop annoying someone.
Examples in context
- Por favor, deje de jugar.Please, stop playing.
- ¡Deja de jugar con la comida!Stop playing with the food!
- Deja de jugar con la comida.Stop playing with your food.
- ¡Deja de jugar y ven aquí!Stop playing and come here!
- Deja de jugar a ser un monstruo.Stop playing the monster.
Example conversation
Daniel is trying to study while María is teasing him.
- DanielMaría, deja de jugar y siéntate.María, stop playing and sit down.
- MaríaSolo estoy bromeando, Daniel.I'm just joking, Daniel.
- DanielEn serio, necesito concentrarme.Seriously, I need to concentrate.
- MaríaEstá bien, me portaré bien.Okay, I will behave.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, deja, jugar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
