Spanish · B1 · Family moment
Losing a game without giving up in Spanish
This guide focuses on teaching children how to handle competition gracefully. You will learn to use the preposition 'sin' (without) followed by an infinitive to describe actions that are avoided or omitted while performing another action, a key skill for expressing sportsmanship and emotional regulation.
What you'll learn
- Use 'sin' + infinitive to express 'without -ing'.
- Apply reflexive pronouns to infinitives (e.g., sin rendirte).
- Learn vocabulary related to board games and emotional responses.
- Formulate polite requests for fair play and persistence.
Spanish phrases for losing a game without giving up
¿Podemos terminar el juego sin discutir?
Can we finish the game without arguing?
'Sin' is followed directly by the infinitive 'discutir'.
Puedes sentirte decepcionado sin culpar a nadie.
You can feel disappointed without blaming anyone.
'Culpar' means 'to blame'; notice 'a nadie' follows the personal 'a' rule.
Quiero explicar mi jugada sin interrumpirte.
I want to explain my move without interrupting you.
The pronoun 'te' is attached to the end of the infinitive 'interrumpir'.
Ella ganó sin burlarse de los demás.
She won without making fun of the others.
'Burlarse' is a reflexive verb; remember to include 'de' when mentioning who is being mocked.
Seguiste intentándolo sin rendirte.
You kept trying without giving up.
'Rendirse' translates to 'giving up' or 'surrendering' in a competitive context.
Podemos consultar la regla sin empezar de nuevo.
We can check the rule without starting again.
'Empezar de nuevo' is the common phrase for 'to start over'.
Puedo felicitarlo sin fingir que estoy feliz.
I can congratulate him without pretending to be happy.
'Fingir' means 'to pretend' or 'to fake'.
¿Puedes guardar el juego sin tirar las piezas?
Can you put the game away without throwing the pieces?
'Guardar' is used here for 'putting away' or 'storing'.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
jugada
move / play
Specifically used in games and sports.
rendirse
to give up
A reflexive verb; the 'se' changes to match the subject (rendirme, rendirte, etc.).
burlarse (de)
to make fun (of)
Requires the preposition 'de' before the object.
decepcionado
disappointed
Ensure the gender matches the person feeling the emotion.
Using 'Sin' + Infinitive
In English, we use 'without' followed by a gerund (-ing). In Spanish, 'sin' is always followed by the infinitive (the -ar, -er, or -ir form). Unlike German, there is no 'zu' equivalent needed between 'sin' and the verb.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Structure | sin + [infinitive] | sin llorar (without crying) |
| With Reflexive Verbs | sin + [infinitive] + pronoun | sin enfadarte (without getting angry) |
Reflexive Pronoun Placement
When using reflexive verbs or object pronouns after 'sin', the pronoun must be attached directly to the end of the infinitive. The pronoun must still agree with the subject of the sentence.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Person (I) | sin rendirme | Juego sin rendirme. |
| 2nd Person (You) | sin rendirte | Juegas sin rendirte. |
More examples
Es posible perder sin estar triste.
It is possible to lose without being sad.
A helpful phrase for teaching emotional resilience.
Lo intentó tres veces sin quejarse.
He tried it three times without complaining.
'Quejarse' is the infinitive for 'to complain'.