How to play Taboo on SoyTaboo
In SoyTaboo, one player describes a word while their team tries to guess it. Each card also lists five words the clue-giver cannot use. These rules describe this app; other versions may handle skips and penalties differently.
Set up a game
- Gather at least four people in the same place and form two teams. You need one phone with a browser and an internet connection to load the cards.
- Choose Taboo on the home screen, then a category. Random in Taboo mixes topics and excludes adult cards. You can also choose Famous, Sports, Technology, Entertainment or Nature. The optional +18 category is for adults.
- Name both teams. Choose between 1 and 10 rounds per team and a turn length of 30, 60 or 90 seconds. Start with one 60-second round to learn the controls.
- Pick a clue-giver and someone from the opposing team to check the forbidden words. Both can see the screen; the people guessing should not.
During a turn
Read the target and all five forbidden words before describing the answer. You can explain what it is used for, where it is found or how it differs from something similar. Do not say the answer or any listed word. Teammates guess aloud.
The players judge clues: the app does not listen to speech or assess answers. Before starting, agree whether gestures, translations, initials or parts of words are allowed. For a first game, a simple house rule is to use spoken descriptions only and avoid forms of the forbidden words.
A practice card
Target: bicycle. Forbidden words: wheel, pedal, handlebar, chain and transport.
A possible clue is “it has two rubber circles and you move by pushing with your legs; you can ride it along a cycle path.” “It is pedal-powered transport” is invalid because it uses forbidden words. This is a practice example, not a promise that this exact card will appear in your game.
Buttons and scoring
| Result | Points | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Correct | +1 | Your team says the answer. |
| Taboo | −1 | The clue-giver uses a forbidden word. |
| Skip | 0 | You want to try another card. |
Each button records the result and advances to another card. Six correct answers, two violations and three skips earn four points. Stop counting answers when the turn ends.
Rounds, rotation and finishing
When time runs out, a summary appears. Pass the phone to the other team and choose a different clue-giver when your team plays again. A round includes one turn for each team. After all selected rounds, the team with more points wins. The app can also show a draw.
Settle disputed clues together before the next turn. The app records the buttons pressed and does not provide an automatic referee. For a larger gathering, read the team organization guide. For five words at once and a dice roll, try Time Trial.