jugar

to play

Example Sentence

A veces prefiero jugar con él antes de cenar.

Sometimes I prefer to play with him before dinner.

Meaning

Jugar means to play. With pets, it often means interactive play that provides exercise and mental stimulation.

Common Phrases

  • jugar con el perro — to play with the dog
  • jugar un rato — to play for a while

Example

Me gusta jugar un rato en casa.

I like to play for a while at home.

Common Mistake

Do not say jugar con plus a direct sport. Use jugar + sport (no con), but for pets use jugar con + animal/person.