In this Spanish grammar lesson, you will learn about jugar vs tocar.
In this lesson you will learn about:
- jugar vs tocar
- how jugar vs tocar are used in sentences
- how you can quiz yourself on jugar vs tocar
- how you can practice with flashcards on jugar vs tocar
- how and why you should use the courses of Language Atlas to learn Spanish
By the end of the lesson you will know all about jugar vs tocar!
Table of Contents
How to use Jugar
There is only one big way in which you can use jugar in Spanish.
- Use jugar to express that you play a [sport/game]
Here are some examples:
Juego a la lotería todas las semanas y nunca me ha tocado nada.
I play the lottery every week and I have never won anything.
¿Tú jugabas al baloncesto en el instituto?
Did you play basketball in high school? (you=tú)
Tu hijo se pasa todo el día jugando a la Playstation.
Your son spends all day playing Playstation.
¿Jugamos al Trivial?
Shall we play Trivia?
Please don’t forget that you have to put al/a la/a los/a las after jugar.
This is because you are actually saying:
- jugar + a + el/la/los/las
The combination of a and el becomes del.
Please read the lesson on Spanish contractions again if you need a refresher on this topic.
How to use Tocar
There are four big ways in which you can use tocar in Spanish.
- Use tocar to express that you play an instrument
Here are some examples:
De pequeña yo sabía tocar el piano, pero me he olvidado.
When I was a child I was able to play the piano, but I have forgotten it.
Mi hija está aprendiendo a tocar la guitarra.
My daughter is learning to play the guitar.
- Use tocar to express that you play a genre of music
Here are some examples:
Me encanta tocar música rock.
I love to play rock music.
Él odia tocar blues.
He hates to play the blues.
- Use tocar to express “to touch” someone or something
Here are some examples:
Toca esta manta, es muy suave.
Touch this blanket, it’s very soft.
María nos ha traído esta tarta. Por favor no la toquéis, es para esta noche.
Maria has brought us this cake. Please don’t touch it, it’s for tonight.
Voy a tocar el fondo de la piscina con las manos.
I’m going to touch the pool floor with my hands.
- Use tocar to express “to win” something
Here are some examples:
Me ha tocado la lotería.
I have won the lottery.
Example Sentences on Jugar vs Tocar
This section of the lesson on jugar vs tocar is about seeing the idioms used in sentences.
This is valuable because you can improve your understanding of jugar vs tocar through examples.
Juego a la lotería todas las semanas y nunca me ha tocado nada.
I play the lottery every week and I have never won anything.
¿Tú jugabas al baloncesto en el instituto?
Did you play basketball in high school? (you=tú)
Tu hijo se pasa todo el día jugando a la Playstation.
Your son spends all day playing Playstation.
¿Jugamos al Trivial?
Shall we play Trivia?
De pequeña yo sabía tocar el piano, pero me he olvidado.
When I was a child I was able to play the piano, but I have forgotten it.
Mi hija está aprendiendo a tocar la guitarra.
My daughter is learning to play the guitar.
Me encanta tocar música rock.
I love to play rock music.
Él odia tocar blues.
He hates to play the blues.
Toca esta manta, es muy suave.
Touch this blanket, it’s very soft.
María nos ha traído esta tarta. Por favor no la toquéis, es para esta noche.
Maria has brought us this cake. Please don’t touch it, it’s for tonight.
Voy a tocar el fondo de la piscina con las manos.
I’m going to touch the pool floor with my hands.
Me ha tocado la lotería.
I have won the lottery.
Quiz Yourself on Jugar vs Tocar
At the end of every lesson you can do a small quiz.
You will see the sentences of the previous chapter.
You will either need to fill in the blanks, choose the correct multiple choice option, or both.
Once you are done the correct answer will be shown.
You can redo the quiz as many times as you want!
How to Practice With Flashcards for This Lesson
Using flashcards is an absolute necessity when it comes to learning a language!
It is the best way to memorize what you learn, you can personalize your progression because it adapts to your actions, and all flashcards have audio to improve your hearing and pronunciation.
Please read our article on how to learn a new language for more information on flashcards and the best way to learn a new language.
There are two ways to practice with Flashcards for this lesson.
- Anki
- The Flashcards in our Courses
Anki is a free software with which you can create and practice flashcards.
After you have downloaded Anki for free, you can get our Spanish A2 Anki Deck.
This Anki Deck contains 3,568 flashcards with which you can practice absolutely everything for Spanish A2.
All the flashcards have text, images, explanations, and audio.
You can also use our courses that have flashcards integrated alongside lessons with audio, quizzes and much more!
However, I am sure you are wondering, what are your courses, and why should I take them?
The Courses of Language Atlas
Have you ever wondered what the best way is to learn a new language?
I have been learning languages for over 20+ years and I was always frustrated with books, courses, and classes that I had tried.
It never really seemed to work for me.
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So I thought, “why not make something myself?“.
Using my experience and by doing research I created Language Atlas, a platform where people can learn French and Spanish in the most effective and efficient way.
I created free lessons and quizzes so that there would always be an easy and accessible way for people to learn or brush up on their language skills.
However, I also created courses that are much more comprehensive and in-depth.
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The courses of Language Atlas have:
- 800+ Lessons with audio
- 800+ Quizzes
- 10,000 Flashcards with explanations, images, and audio
- A gamified way of learning a new language
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You can register for free and try the French A0/A1 and Spanish A0/A1 Courses for free!
This includes over 60 lessons and quizzes, 500 flashcards that adapt to how you learn, and access to the community (including support from me).
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