jouer
/ʒwe/
To say play in French, meaning to have fun, use jouer. If unsure, use jouer. Wiktionary also lists s'amuser.
Meaning: act in a manner such that one has fun (verb)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| jouer | /ʒwe/ /ʒu.e/ |
| s'amuser |
jouer is the verb for playing, whether children playing together, playing a game or playing an instrument. s'amuser is also used, in the sense of having fun.
Which one should you use?
To play a role in a play or as an actor, formal French uses Interpréter. A play in the theatre is pièce de théâtre or simply pièce, and a game or playful activity is jeu.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, people might say Faire du soccer to mean to play soccer.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
For a game or a sport, jouer is followed by à, as in jouer au football. For a musical instrument, it is followed by de, as in jouer du piano.
How do you pronounce it?
jouer is pronounced /ʒwe/, in a single syllable.
Did you know?
- The verb jouer shares an ancient root with the English word 'joke', as both derive from the Latin 'iocārī', meaning to enjoy oneself or jest.
- While jouer is used for instruments, you cannot use it to 'play' a record or a CD. In those cases, French speakers use passer, which literally means 'to pass' or 'to put on'.
- In French, the word jeu for 'game' is also used to describe the 'play' or 'wiggle room' in a mechanical part. If a bolt is loose, a mechanic might say there is too much jeu.
Examples in context
- Tu veux jouer ?Do you want to play?jouer here is an invitation to play.Tatoeba #8666754 by Micsmithel, translation #2011467 by CK
- Va jouer avec Tom.Go play with Tom.Va jouer tells someone to go and play.Tatoeba #5317005 by Aiji, translation #2050549 by CK
- Je jouerai avec toi.I'll play with you.jouerai is the future form of jouer.Tatoeba #1653275 by sacredceltic, translation #1651134 by Spamster
- Jouer du pianoTo play the piano
- Jouer au tennisTo play tennis
- Jouer une pièce de théâtreTo play a play
- Interpréter le rôle de HamletTo play the role of Hamlet
- Jouer à la console de jeuxTo play video games
- Jouer aux cartesTo play cards
- Faire une partie de MonopolyTo play a game of Monopoly
- Faire une partie de tennisTo play a game of tennis
- S'amuser à jouer du pianoTo have fun playing the piano
- S'amuser à jouer au basketballTo have fun playing basketball
- 678 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel are children in a garden.
- EmmaGabriel, viens jouer avec moi !Gabriel, come play with me!
- GabrielJe veux jouer au ballon.I want to play with the ball.
- EmmaOn peut jouer ensemble alors.We can play together then.
- GabrielOui, on va jouer dans le jardin.Yes, we are going to play in the garden.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “play” translations and entries jouer, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries jouer, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
