Memorize “Jugar” conjugations in the Preterite (Past) Tense effortlessly. Our unique loop-based audio helps you absorb verb forms naturally—just like native speakers. Tap to play and start memorizing 10x faster now!

Pro Tip: Play the audio on a loop while reviewing the conjugation chart to naturally absorb the correct forms. Try it now!

Conjugation Chart of “Jugar” (to play) in the Preterite (Past) Tense

Why Use Loop-Based Learning

• 🧠 Activates natural language processing in the brain
• 🔄 Makes conjugations feel automatic
• 📝 Reduces mental effort compared to rote memorization
• 💡 Builds fluency through repetition

Unlike traditional methods that rely on memorizing rules and grammar drills, our approach mimics how native speakers naturally acquire language—by hearing patterns repeatedly in context. This activates your brain’s phonological loop, making verb forms feel familiar and automatic.

To learn more about the science behind this technique, read our detailed article: The Neuroscience of Language Learning: How Listening on a Loop Strengthens Your Fluency

Understanding the Preterite (Past) Tense of “Jugar”

The preterite of jugar is used to express when you played something at a specific moment in the past. For example, when you want to say “I played soccer yesterday” – “Jugué al fútbol ayer.”

This verb follows the -gar spelling-changing pattern in the preterite. When conjugating, the ‘g’ changes to ‘gu’ before ‘e’ to maintain the same sound, which happens in the yo form (jugué).

How to Use Jugar in the Preterite (Past) Tense

The Preterite of jugar describes completed instances of playing or gaming.

To play (specific instance): Describes a completed game or play session, for example Jugué fútbol ayer (I played soccer yesterday), or Jugaron cartas toda la noche (They played cards all night).

To gamble/bet: In certain contexts, refers to gambling, for example Jugó todo su dinero en el casino (He gambled all his money at the casino).

Real Life Examples of Jugar in the Preterite (Past) Tense

Los niños jugaron en el parque toda la tarde. (The children played in the park all afternoon.)

Jugué al tenis con mis amigos ayer. (I played tennis with my friends yesterday.)

¿Jugaste al fútbol en la escuela? (Did you play soccer at school?)

El equipo jugó muy bien en el partido final. (The team played very well in the final game.)

Jugamos cartas hasta la medianoche. (We played cards until midnight.)

Ellos jugaron ajedrez durante horas. (They played chess for hours.)

¿Por qué no jugaste con nosotros? (Why didn’t you play with us?)

Mi hermano jugó videojuegos toda la noche. (My brother played video games all night.)

Jugamos un partido amistoso el domingo. (We played a friendly match on Sunday.)

Los músicos jugaron con diferentes ritmos. (The musicians played with different rhythms.)

Jugué con mi perro en el jardín. (I played with my dog in the garden.)

El niño jugó con sus nuevos juguetes. (The child played with his new toys.)

Jugamos un papel importante en el proyecto. (We played an important role in the project.)

Ella jugó muy bien su papel en la obra. (She played her role in the play very well.)

Los actores jugaron sus roles perfectamente. (The actors played their roles perfectly.)

Conjugation Chart with English Translations

Conjugations of Jugar (to play) in the Preterite (Past) Tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Castilian Spanish. For Latin American Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Preterite tense is also known as the Simple Past, Past Simple, Definite Past, Absolute Past, or Past Tense Indicative in English, and as Pretérito Perfecto Simple, Pretérito Indefinido, Pretérito Simple, Pasado Simple, or Pretérito de Indicativo in Spanish.