SPANISH VERB

jugarse

to bet, to take a chance

Conjugation

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Presente · now, habits and facts

Pretérito indefinido · finished actions

Pretérito imperfecto · “used to” and “was …ing”

Futuro · plans and promises; in speech, “voy a hablar” is just as common

Condicional · “would”

Presente de subjuntivo · wishes, doubts, “que …”

Imperfecto de subjuntivo · “if I were”, “si …”

Imperativo · requests and orders; a negative one uses the subjunctive (no hables)

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

Present

Manolo se juega el sueldo en las quinielas.

Manolo gambles his wages on the football pools.
Past

Me la jugué y dejé el trabajo sin tener otro.

I took a gamble and quit my job without having another.
Imperfect

Mi abuelo se jugaba la paga en el bar cada viernes.

My grandfather gambled his pay in the bar every Friday.
Future

Esta vez no me jugaré ni un euro en la lotería.

This time I won't bet a single euro on the lottery.
Conditional

Yo no me jugaría el piso por una idea de negocio.

I wouldn't risk the flat on a business idea.
Present subjunctive

No quiero que te juegues la salud por ese trabajo.

I don't want you risking your health for that job.
Past subjunctive

Si me jugara el décimo contigo, compartiríamos el premio.

If I bet the ticket with you, we'd share the prize.
Imperative

¡Juégatela, que solo se vive una vez!

Take the gamble, you only live once!

"Jugarse algo" is to risk it: "Me juego el cuello" is "I'd bet my neck on it", and "jugársela" is to take a gamble.

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

Cada Navidad me juego veinte euros a la lotería. Every Christmas I bet twenty euros on the lottery.
Me la jugué, y le conté a mi tío lo de Emily. I took a chance, and told my uncle about Emily.
En la última pregunta, me la voy a jugar. On the last question, I'm going to take a chance.

The same pattern, on other verbs: irregular -ar verb.