Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Ajedrez in English: Chess
Ajedrez · noun · ah-heh-DREHS
The Spanish word 'ajedrez' translates to 'chess' in English. It refers to the classic strategy board game played between two opponents. The word originates from Arabic 'ash-shatranj,' reflecting the Moorish influence on the Spanish language during centuries of coexistence on the Iberian Peninsula.
ah-heh-DREHS
Mi padre me enseñó a jugar al ajedrez cuando yo tenía siete años.
My father taught me to play chess when I was seven years old.
How Native Speakers Use Ajedrez
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Hobby discussion
Todos los sábados nos reunimos en el parque para jugar al ajedrez bajo los árboles.
Every Saturday we gather in the park to play chess under the trees.
Jugar al ajedrez is the standard phrase for playing chess in Spanish.
Competition
El campeonato de ajedrez atrajo a participantes de doce países diferentes.
The chess championship attracted participants from twelve different countries.
Campeonato de ajedrez is how you say chess tournament or championship.
Learning the game
Las piezas del ajedrez incluyen el rey, la reina, los alfiles, los caballos, las torres y los peones.
The chess pieces include the king, queen, bishops, knights, rooks, and pawns.
Each chess piece has its own distinct Spanish name.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Ajedrez
Direct translation attempt
Incorrect: ¿Quieres jugar al chess conmigo esta tarde?
Correct: ¿Quieres jugar al ajedrez conmigo esta tarde?
Chess has a dedicated Spanish word, ajedrez, and should not be left in English when speaking or writing in Spanish.
Missing preposition
Incorrect: Me gusta jugar ajedrez los domingos.
Correct: Me gusta jugar al ajedrez los domingos.
In standard Spanish, the construction is 'jugar al ajedrez' with the contraction 'al,' though some Latin American speakers do omit it colloquially.
Lock in Ajedrez in English Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Ajedrez used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using ajedrez in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Mi padre me enseñó a jugar al ajedrez cuando yo tenía siete años. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
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Common Questions About Ajedrez in English in Spanish
- Where does the word ajedrez come from?
- Ajedrez derives from the Arabic 'ash-shatranj,' which itself came from the Persian 'chatrang' and ultimately the Sanskrit 'chaturanga.' This Arabic etymological root entered Spanish during the centuries of Moorish rule in the Iberian Peninsula, making it one of many Arabic-origin words in modern Spanish.
- What are the chess pieces called in Spanish?
- Each piece has a distinctive name rooted in medieval terminology: rey (king), dama or reina (queen), alfil (bishop, from the Arabic for elephant), caballo (knight, literally horse), torre (rook, literally tower), and peón (pawn, literally foot soldier). These names are standardized across all Spanish-speaking chess federations.
- Is ajedrez masculine or feminine?
- Ajedrez is a masculine noun, so you say 'el ajedrez' with the masculine article. Despite ending in the consonant 'z,' its gender follows the masculine default for most Spanish nouns of Arabic origin.