Party word game
Taboo
Get your team to guess the word without saying the obvious ones
- Set-up
- About 2 min
- Reading
- Some
The quick verdict
Full verdict ↓Great for Big groups of teenagers and adults who enjoy talking, interrupting and laughing
Think twice if Some of your group are not comfortable in English, since every card and clue is in English
How we rate it
Learning curve. The rules fit on one page and take a couple of minutes to explain. The hard part is the English: the describer has to find other words fast while the sand runs out, so it feels much harder for players who aren't fluent.
Luck & skill. Which card you flip is luck, and some words are far easier than others, but over a whole game the quicker describers and sharper guessers win.
Interaction. Both teams are busy all the time: one team shouts guesses while a rival reads the card over the describer's shoulder, ready to squeak.
Set-up. Split into two even teams and sit so the teams alternate around the table. Pick one card colour for the game and stack the cards with that colour face down. If you like, open go.hasbro.com/taboo on a phone for Hasbro's free buzzer, timer and scoreboard, and turn the volume up.
Reading. Each card has a Guess word and five Taboo words to take in at a glance. What really matters is speaking English quickly and well.
Learning curve: 1 = UNO or Connect 4; 3 = Catan; 5 = a heavy strategy game. These describe the experience, not an overall score.
Paid link · We may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Is Taboo right for you?
Great if
- Big groups of teenagers and adults who enjoy talking, interrupting and laughing
- Festival nights and family get-togethers where people split easily into teams, such as cousins against cousins
- Teenagers who read English well and like word play
- Taking along to a friend's place: Hasbro offers a free online buzzer, timer and scoreboard, so the card box alone is enough
Skip it if
- Some of your group are not comfortable in English, since every card and clue is in English
- You usually play with only two or three people; you need at least four for two teams
- Most of your players are under 13, the age Hasbro recommends
A place on the honours list
Good company to be in.
Recognition from beyond our table.
Mensa Select, 1990 (Winner)
Spiel des Jahres recommendation list (German edition, Tabu), 1992 (Recommended)
How Taboo plays
Split into two even teams and sit so the two teams alternate around the table, which makes it easy to keep an eye on each other. The cards are colour-coded: pick one colour for the whole game and stack the cards so that colour is face down.
- Time to teach: about 5 minutes.
- Reading and language: Every card is in English, and the describer has to find other English words on the spot under time pressure. Guessers need a good vocabulary too. We found no Hindi or other Indian-language edition.
How to Play Taboo · Triple S Games
Choose a video · Watch right here
If this creator doesn’t allow embedded playback, watch on YouTube ↗.
A turn, step by step
- 1Describe
One player on your team flips a card and describes the Guess word so the team can say it, without using that word or any of the five Taboo words listed under it.
- 2Squeak
A player from the other team watches the card over your shoulder and squeaks if you slip, gesture or give a 'sounds like' hint. Squeaked or skipped cards score for them.
- 3Score
When the sand runs out, your team scores 1 point for every card it guessed. Then the other team takes its turn with a new describer.
- 4Win
Once everyone has described the same number of times, the team with more points wins. If it's a tie, each team plays one more turn.
The full explanation: how a game of Taboo goes
On your team's turn, one player describes and the rest of the team guesses. A player from the other team holds the squeaker and reads the card over the describer's shoulder. Start the sand timer, flip a card and describe the Guess word at the top without saying it or any of the five Taboo words listed under it. Imagine a card asking for 'biryani' with rice, spicy, chicken, Hyderabad and dum all barred, and you will see why it gets funny.
The other team squeaks you if you say any part of a word on the card, use a plural or a short form such as 'TV' for television, make gestures or sound effects, or give 'sounds like', 'rhymes with' or 'starts with' hints. Singing is allowed. You may skip a card whenever you like, but it costs you.
When the timer runs out, your team scores 1 point for each card it guessed, and the other team scores 1 point for each card you skipped or were squeaked on. Then the other team plays, with a new describer every round. Once everyone has described the same number of times, the team with more points wins; if it is a tie, each team takes one more turn.
What's in the box
- 212Cards
848 Guess words in all, four per card, each with five Taboo words; you choose one card colour per game - 1Squeaker
the other team squeaks you with it when you break a rule - 1Sand timer
- 1Notepad
for keeping score - 1Rules sheet
English; links to Hasbro's free online buzzer, timer and scoreboard at go.hasbro.com/taboo
Box: 20 × 20 × 7 cm, 0.61 kg. Handy to know for gifting and travel.
Contents from Hasbro's F5254 rules sheet and the back of the Indian box: 212 cards (848 Guess words), squeaker, notepad, sand timer and instructions. The four-words-per-card figure is simply 848 divided by 212. The older box still listed in India (E2616, the 2013 version) has 162 cards (over 640 Guess words), a squeaker, sand timer, score pad and a 'game-changer' die that adds rule twists. Editions from around 2000 came with 504 cards, a card holder and a buzzer instead of the squeaker. One Indian listing's contents field says '12 cards', which is a typo for 212.
Where to buy
Paid link · We may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
How to make sure you get a genuine copyEditions and the details worth checking.
What reviewers and players say
Taboo has stayed popular since 1989 because the idea is so simple: get your team to say a word without using the obvious clues, and watch the describer squirm. Reviewers enjoy how fast and noisy it gets, how quickly new players pick it up, and how well it works with a big group. The grumbles are mostly about the extras: the squeaker and the seating plan can feel fussy, the sand timer is easy to ignore, and the team that isn't guessing mostly watches. For Indian groups the real test is English, because the current cards include Western pop culture: one card in the product photos bars 'Degrassi', 'Canadian' and 'Hotline Bling'.
What people love
- Fast and loud: the timer keeps the pressure on, and a tongue-tied describer is funny for everyone watching
- Easy to learn, so newcomers can join in after watching one round
- Works best with a crowd, where more players means more wild guesses
- A fun way for teenagers to stretch their vocabulary without it feeling like homework
Common complaints
- The squeaker and the strict alternate seating can feel fussy, and some groups drop them
- The sand timer makes no sound, so someone has to keep an eye on it; Hasbro's free online timer solves this
- The team that isn't guessing has little to do apart from watching for slips
Based on 8 reviews and discussions
- Review Beware Forbidden Words (Heather Moher, December 2005) · Youth Journalism International
- Review Taboo review (author and date not shown) · Mechanics of Magic
- Review Game Review: Taboo by Brian Hersch (Julia DeKorte, August 2024) · People of Play
- Players Which version of Taboo is the official version? (May 2015) · Board & Card Games Stack Exchange
- Players Word mutations in Taboo (November 2020) · Board & Card Games Stack Exchange
- Award Mensa Select winning games, 1990 · American Mensa
- Award Tabu · Spiel des Jahres
- Reference Taboo (game) · Wikipedia
Summarised in our own words from the sources above. We don't use Amazon reviews or ratings.
More like Taboo
Which game is the best fit?
Our picks if Taboo isn't quite right.
Swipe to compare every game
| Compare the games.The details that make a difference. |
YOU’RE VIEWING
Taboo
|
ANOTHER WAY TO PLAY
Codenames
|
ANOTHER WAY TO PLAY
Guess in 10
|
ANOTHER WAY TO PLAY
Dixit
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Why consider it | This game Get your team to guess the word without saying the obvious ones | A different fit Another team word game, with one-word clues and a grid of 25 words instead of a timer | A different fit Skillmatics' made-in-India question-and-clue game that younger children can also play | A different fit Clue-giving with dreamlike pictures instead of words, so it works across ages and languages |
| Players | 4–10 | 2–8 | 2–6 | 3–8 |
| Best with | 6-8 | 6-8 | 4-6, in two teams | 5-6 |
| Play time | 20–60 min | 15 min | 20 min | 30 min |
| Age | 13+ | 14+ | 6+ | 8+ |
| Rules | Easy | Easy | Easy | Easy |
| Indian edition | Available | Imported | Available | Imported |
| On this page | Explore Codenames | Explore Guess in 10 | Explore Dixit |
More from Hasbro
Another way into their collection.
Monopoly
Roll, buy property, collect rent, and bankrupt everyone else
Jenga
Pull a block, stack it on top, don't topple the tower
Monopoly Deal
Monopoly as a 15-minute card game of rent, raids and sets
Cluedo
Work out who did it, where, and with which weapon
The Game of Life
Spin through college, jobs, family and retirement; richest player wins
More from Hasbro India
Also made or sold in India by Hasbro India.
Jenga
Pull a block, stack it on top, don't topple the tower
Monopoly Deal
Monopoly as a 15-minute card game of rent, raids and sets
Cluedo
Work out who did it, where, and with which weapon
The Game of Life
Spin through college, jobs, family and retirement; richest player wins
Connect 4
Drop discs, block your rival and get four in a row
More clue-and-guess games
Different games. A familiar kind of fun.
Codenames
One-word clues, 25 secret agents, and one assassin to avoid
Decrypto
Pass secret codes to your team before the rivals crack them
Wavelength
Read your teammates' minds with one clue and a big red dial
Just One
Write one-word clues together, but matching clues get wiped out
Dixit
Give a clue for a dreamlike picture, but not too obvious
Also playable with two
For game nights with two players.
Boggle
Shake the letter cubes and find words before time runs out
Wavelength
Read your teammates' minds with one clue and a big red dial
Super Math Spy
Race to build an equation that hits your mission number
Carrom
Flick the striker, pocket your colour, then capture and cover the queen
Junior Crossword
Build crossing words and find a better home for every letter
Questions people ask about Taboo
Is genuine Taboo sold in India?
Yes. Hasbro India sells Classic Taboo, and Hasbro's own rules sheet for this box says it is made in India. You don't need an imported copy. Our Check price on Amazon.in button goes to the listing we've checked; make sure the brand is Hasbro.
What age is Taboo suitable for?
Hasbro rates it for ages 13 and up and for 4 or more players. The cards assume a good English vocabulary, so younger children may struggle. Hasbro has made a Taboo Junior for younger players, but we did not find it on sale in India.
Is there a Hindi version of Taboo?
We did not find one. Hasbro India's Classic Taboo has English cards only. If your group prefers Hindi or another language, a picture-based game such as Dixit may suit you better.
What is the difference between the old and new Taboo boxes?
The current Classic Taboo has 212 cards with 848 Guess words, a squeaker, a notepad and a sand timer, and it is made in India. The older box had 162 cards and a 'game-changer' die that adds rule twists. Both are genuine Hasbro games, but Indian stores now mostly stock the newer one.
Game facts
- Designed by
- Brian Hersch
- Publisher
- Hasbro (Taboo is a trademark of Hersch and Company)
- In India
- Hasbro India Toys Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai (marketer); made for it by Yuno Packaging Pvt Ltd, Bengaluru
- First published
- 1989
- Players
- 4–10
- Barcode
- 195166210711
- Language
- Needs English – Every card is in English, and the describer has to find other English words on the spot under time pressure. Guessers need a good vocabulary too. We found no Hindi or other Indian-language edition.
- Box size and weight
- 20 × 20 × 7 cm, 0.61 kg
- Awards
- Mensa Select, 1990 (Winner); Spiel des Jahres recommendation list (German edition, Tabu), 1992 (Recommended)
Sources & photo creditsThe references behind this guide.
Facts on this page come from the publisher, the Indian maker or distributor, and the sources below. Photos are credited under each one.
- Taboo (game) - Wikipedia
- Hasbro - Classic Taboo (F5254) instructions page
- Hasbro - Classic Taboo (F5254) rules sheet, PDF
- Hasbro India - Taboo (A4626) instructions page
- Toycra - Hasbro Gaming Classic Taboo (F5254)
- Toycra - Hasbro Taboo (E2616, older box)
- Hamleys - Hasbro Gaming Taboo (212 cards)
- Hamleys - Hasbro Gaming Taboo (E2616, older box)
- FirstCry - Hasbro Taboo Board Game