Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| rifa | /ˈrifa/ | feminine |
| mita | /mita/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
A raffle is a type of drawing or prize event. When participating in a raffle, the tickets themselves are often called boletos or simply números. If you win a prize, you can say you had luck in the drawing with the expression Tener suerte en el sorteo. To win the biggest possible prize, or to hit the jackpot, you would use the expression Sacarse el premio gordo. If someone is included in the drawing, you might say they are Estar en el bombo, which literally means to be in the raffle drum.
Which one should you use?
The noun rifa refers to the event or the drawing itself, whereas the verb rifar is used to describe the action of holding the raffle or giving something away through a raffle. Additionally, sorteo is a common synonym that is often used when referring to more formal or official prize draws.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain countries, such as Argentina and Uruguay, the term rifle is used to express the idea of a raffle.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of rifa is rifas.
How do you pronounce it?
rifa is pronounced /ˈrifa/.
Did you know?
- The word rifa is thought to be onomatopoeic, mimicking the sound of a spinning drum or the excitement of a rapid drawing.
- The phrase sacarse el premio gordo uses the adjective gordo, meaning 'fat', to describe the biggest prize rather than using a word for 'large' or 'great'.
- The phrase estar en el bombo refers to a 'bombo', which is a large bass drum used as a lottery drum to mix the numbers.
Examples in context
- Vamos a realizar un sorteo para recaudar fondos.We are going to hold a raffle to raise funds.
- Estamos organizando una rifa benéfica para apoyar a la comunidad.We are organizing a charity raffle to support the community.
- La tómbola es la atracción principal de la feria.The raffle is the main attraction at the fair.
- Vamos a hacer una rifita entre nosotros.We're going to have a little raffle among ourselves.
- Compra tus boletos para el sorteoBuy your tickets for the raffle
- Voy a repartir los números para la rifaI'm going to distribute the numbers for the raffle
- Compré un boleto para la rifa.I bought a ticket for the raffle.
- La rifa es para recaudar fondos.The raffle is to raise funds.
- Ganaste el primer premio de la rifa.You won the first prize of the raffle.
Example conversation
Javier and María are talking at a community event.
- JavierMaría, ¿quieres participar en la rifa?María, do you want to participate in the raffle?
- MaríaSí, Javier. ¿Qué se puede ganar?Yes, Javier. What can one win?
- JavierEl premio de la rifa es una bicicleta.The raffle prize is a bicycle.
- María¡Genial! Dame dos boletos, por favor.Great! Give me two tickets, please.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “raffle” translations and entries rifa, 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 rifa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
