jugar a juegos
/xuɡaɾ a xweɡos/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'to play games' is translated into Spanish as jugar a juegos.
This phrase describes the act of engaging in an activity for entertainment, such as a board game or a video game.
Which one should you use?
While jugar a is used for games and sports, tocar is used for playing musical instruments.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb jugar requires the preposition a before the game being played. For example, the expression jugar a videojuegos uses the preposition a. The expression practicar juegos de mesa uses the preposition de.
How do you pronounce it?
/xuɡaɾ a xweɡos/
Did you know?
- The word jugar is a distant relative of the English word 'joke', as both share a common ancestor related to jesting and playing.
- In some contexts, the phrase jugar con alguien can mean to manipulate or toy with someone's emotions, similar to the English expression 'playing games' with a partner.
- The preposition a in jugar a is mandatory for sports and games, but disappears when talking about playing with a toy.
Examples in context
- Yo juego a videojuegosI play video games
- Quiero jugar a juegos de aventuraI want to play adventure games
- ¿Quieres jugar a los videojuegos conmigo?Do you want to play video games with me?
- Vamos a echar una partida de videojuegos después de la cena.Let's play a game of video games after dinner.
Example conversation
María and Alejandro are deciding how to spend the afternoon.
- MaríaHola Alejandro, ¿qué quieres hacer hoy?Hi Alejandro, what do you want to do today?
- AlejandroTengo ganas de jugar a juegos.I feel like playing games.
- María¡Buena idea! Yo también quiero jugar.Good idea! I want to play too.
- AlejandroPerfecto, busquemos un juego divertido.Perfect, let's find a fun game.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, jugar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
