vs 

QUICK ANSWER
"Do" is a form of "do", a transitive verb which is often translated as "hacer". "Play" is an intransitive verb which is often translated as "jugar". Learn more about the difference between "do" and "play" below.
do(
du
,
do
)
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
transitive verb
a. hacer
Don't think about it, just do it.No lo pienses, hazlo.
I haven't done my homework yet.Aún no hice los deberes.
a. hacer
I'm going to do Spanish next year.Voy a hacer español el año que viene.
a. dedicarse a
What do you do for a living?¿A qué te dedicas?
a. poner (play)
The school did Macbeth this year.Pusieron Macbeth en el colegio este año.
b. hacer de (role)
I did Romeo in a high-school production.Hice de Romeo en una producción del colegio.
a. hacer
We did the whole distance in less than two hours.Hicimos toda la distancia en menos de dos horas.
a. ir a
She was doing more than 100 miles an hour when she crashed.Iba a más de 100 millas por hora cuando chocó.
a. visitar
We did Riviera Maya last summer.Visitamos la Riviera Maya el verano pasado.
a. hacer
Are you doing turkey for Thanksgiving?¿Vas a hacer pavo para el Día de Acción de Gracias?
b. preparar
The chef did an amazing seven-layer cake.El chef preparó un pastel impresionante de siete pisos.
a. arreglar
I need to get someone to come and do the kitchen ceiling.Necesito contratar a alguien que venga a arreglar el techo de la cocina.
b. peinar (hair)
Where do you have your hair done?¿Dónde te peinan?
c. hacer (nails)
I have to do my nails before going out.Tengo que hacerme las uñas antes de salir.
a. lograr
He did it!¡Lo logró!
a. imitar
The comedienne who hosts the show does a mean Hillary Clinton.La humorista que presenta el programa imita de maravilla a Hillary Clinton.
a. hacer
Can you do me a discount for cash?¿Me puede hacer un descuento por pago en efectivo?
b. tener (in a store)
Do you do this in black?¿Tienen esto en negro?
c. servir (in a bar or restaurant)
We don't do evening meals.No servimos cenas.
a. pasar
I did five years in a boarding school.Pasé cinco años en un internado.
b. cumplir (a sentence)
He did ten years for armed robbery.Cumplió diez años por robo a mano armada.
a. hacer
A vacation will do you good.Unas vacaciones te harán bien.
a. hacer
I did my best.Hice todo lo que pude.
16.
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
(colloquial)
(drugs)
a. consumir
Do you do drugs?¿Consumes drogas?
b. tomar
No thanks, I don't do drugs.No gracias, no tomo drogas.
17.
A very informal word or phrase used by a particular group or community as a substitute for standard language (e.g., joint, john).
(slang)
A word or phrase that is crude, indecent, and generally rejected by society.
(vulgar)
(to have sex with)
a. coger
A very informal word or phrase used by a particular group or community as a substitute for standard language (e.g., joint, john).
(slang)
A word or phrase that is crude, indecent, and generally rejected by society.
(vulgar)
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
(Latin America)
I'd do Jim's sister, wouldn't you?Yo cogería la hermana de Jim, ¿tú no?
b. follar
A very informal word or phrase used by a particular group or community as a substitute for standard language (e.g., joint, john).
(slang)
A word or phrase that is crude, indecent, and generally rejected by society.
(vulgar)
Regionalism used in Spain
(Spain)
I don't know about you, but I'd do him!No sé lo que harías tú, ¡pero yo lo follaría!
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
intransitive verb
a. ir
She was doing well in her new job.Le iba bien en su nuevo trabajo.
a. hacer
Be good and do as Mommy says.Sé bueno y haz lo que te dice mami.
a. valer
There are no pears left, but apples will do.No quedan peras, pero las manzanas valdrán.
b. ser suficiente
About a dozen should do.Una docena más o menos será suficiente.
An auxiliary verb, or helper verb, is a conjugated verb that comes before a main verb and determines the main verb's tense, mood, or aspect (e.g., I have gone.).
auxiliary verb
a.
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
no direct translation
Did she leave?¿Se marchó?
Do you want to play with me?¿Quieres jugar conmigo?
a.
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
no direct translation
He doesn't care.No le importa.
We didn't make it.No lo conseguimos.
a.
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
no direct translation
He never apologized, did he?Nunca se disculpó, ¿no?
You know her, don't you?La conoces, ¿verdad?
a.
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
no direct translation
Do sit down!¡Tome asiento, por favor!
I do like the ring, honest. It's beautiful!De veras que me gusta el anillo. ¡Es muy lindo!
a.
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
no direct translation
Did he ask her out? - No, he didn't.¿Le pidió salir? - No.
Does she work at home? - Yes, she does.¿Trabaja en casa? - Sí.
A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
noun
26.
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
(colloquial)
(party)
a. la fiesta
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
(F)
They are having a birthday do next Saturday.Van a celebrar una fiesta de cumpleaños el sábado que viene.
27.
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
(colloquial)
(hairdo)
Regionalism used in the United States
(United States)
a. el peinado
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
(M)
A gust of wind messed up her do.Una ráfaga de viento le estropeó el peinado.
a. el do
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
(M)
Let's warm up our voices with some scales: do, re, mi, ...Calentemos las voces con unas escalas: do, re, mi, ...
Copyright © 2025 Dictionary Media Group, Inc.
play(
pley
)
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
intransitive verb
a. jugar
Ivan is playing with his friends.Iván está jugando con sus amigos.
a. tocar
The band was still playing when we left.La banda seguía tocando cuando nos fuimos.
a. jugar
They won't be able to play tonight because of the rain.No podrán jugar esta noche por la lluvia.
a. sonar
Soft music was playing in the background.De fondo sonaba una música suave.
a. jugar
What are you playing at?¿Pero tú a qué juegas?
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
transitive verb
a. jugar a
Do you want to play Parcheesi with us?¿Quieres jugar al parchís con nosotros?
b. jugar
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
(Latin America)
Playing chess requires great powers of concentration.Jugar ajedrez requiere una gran capacidad de concentración.
a. jugar a
My children play basketball at school.Mis hijos juegan al baloncesto en el colegio.
b. jugar
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
(Latin America)
I loved playing tennis when I was young.Me encantaba jugar tenis de joven.
a. jugar contra
This is the first time they have played a professional team in a professional league.Es la primera vez que juegan contra un equipo profesional en una liga profesional.
a. tocar
Can you play the piano?¿Sabes tocar el piano?
b. interpretar
The orchestra played Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in D minor.La orquesta interpretó la novena sinfonía de Beethoven en re menor.
a. interpretar
He plays Hamlet in the new production of the play.Interpreta a Hamlet en la nueva producción de la obra.
b. desempeñar
The king played an important role in the Spanish transition to democracy.El rey desempeñó un papel importante en la transición española hacia la democracia.
a. gastar
For some reason, he enjoys playing practical jokes on people.Por alguna razón le gusta gastar bromas pesadas a la gente.
a. dirigir
He played the flashlight over the cover of the book.Dirigió la luz de la linterna hacia la cubierta del libro.
a. poner
My neighbor plays the same song over and over again.Mi vecina pone la misma canción una y otra vez.
a. hacerse
Don't play the victim with me.No te hagas la víctima conmigo.
a. actuar en
The Rolling Stones played Glastonbury for the first time in 2013.Los Rolling Stones actuaron en Glastonbury por primera vez en 2013.
A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
noun
a. el juego
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
(M)
Lion cubs learn to fight through play.Los cachorros de león aprenden a pelear mediante el juego.
a. el juego
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
(M)
Play resumed after a short rain break.El juego comenzó de nuevo después de ser interrumpido por lluvia.
b. la jugada
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
(F)
Thanks to an inspired play from my teammate, we won the match.Gracias a una jugada inspirada de mi compañero de equipo, ganamos el partido.
a. la obra
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
(F)
The play lasts 90 minutes, including a 15-minute intermission.La obra dura 90 minutos con un entreacto de 15 minutos.
b. la obra de teatro
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
(F)
The acclaimed actor has starred in many plays on Broadway.El actor aclamado ha protagonizado muchas obras de teatro en Broadway.
a. el juego
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
(M)
We watched the play of light and shadow on the water's surface.Observamos el juego de luces y sombras en la superficie del agua.
b. la interacción
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
(F)
It is the play among different economic actors that determines market prices.Es la interacción entre distintos actores económicos lo que determina los precios del mercado.
a. el juego
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
(M)
What's wrong with your bike? - There’s too much play in the rear wheel.¿Qué tiene tu bicicleta? - La rueda de atrás tiene demasiado juego.
b. la holgura
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
(F)
The window rattles when the wind blows because there's too much play in the guides.La ventana se sacude con el viento porque hay demasiada holgura en las guías.
Copyright © 2025 Dictionary Media Group, Inc.