je jouais
In French, "I used to play" is translated as je jouais.
This phrase is used to describe a habit or an action that occurred regularly in the past. For a more formal way to say "I used to play in the past," you can use Je jouais autrefois. If you want to emphasize the act of practicing or engaging in a specific sport or activity in the past, the formal alternative Je pratiquais autrefois is also available.
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish between habitual actions and completed ones. In contrast, use j'ai joué (passé composé) to describe a completed action that occurred at a specific moment in time.
Did you know?
- The term jouais comes from the Latin 'jocare', which originally meant 'to joke' or 'to play around', linking the act of playing to humor.
- The word jouer can mean 'to act' in a theatre production, so je jouais could translate to 'I used to act' if the context is a stage.
- French uses the same imperfect tense in je jouais to describe the weather or a state of mind in the past, not just repeated actions.
Examples in context
- Je jouais au golf.I used to play golf.This example shows how to use je jouais to talk about playing golf.Tatoeba #6536770 by GB3, translation #6532301 by CK
- Je jouais ici, enfant.I used to play here as a child.This example uses je jouais to describe playing in a specific location during childhood.Tatoeba #4890977 by sacredceltic, translation #2901157 by Hybrid
- Je jouais au tennis au lycée.I used to play tennis in high school.This example uses je jouais to mention playing tennis during high school.Tatoeba #1369002 by Mutusen, translation #241266 by CK
- Je pratiquais autrefois le footballI used to play football
- Je jouais autrefois au tennisI used to play tennis
- Avant, je jouais beaucoup aux jeux vidéoI used to play a lot of video games before
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Léa are talking about their childhood hobbies.
- NathanJe jouais souvent avec des figurines.I used to play with figurines often.
- LéaC'est mignon, Nathan.That is cute, Nathan.
- NathanEt toi, Léa, tu avais des jouets préférés ?And you, Léa, did you have favorite toys?
- LéaOui, je jouais toujours avec des poupées.Yes, I used to always play with dolls.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
