tu joues
The English phrase "you play" translates to French as tu joues.
tu joues is the second person singular form of the verb to play used to describe an action. When you use this phrase to say someone plays a sport or a game, it is typically followed by the preposition à (for example, tu joues au football).
Which one should you use?
tu joues is used when speaking to one person you know well, such as a friend, a child or a family member. In contrast, vous jouez is used when speaking to a stranger, a superior or a group of people. Additionally, vous pratiquez is another formal way to express "you play," which is commonly used when talking about various sports and activities.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the second person singular present tense, the verb jouer ends in -es to match the subject tu.
Did you know?
- The French tu is a cognate of the German du and the Russian ты, all descending from the same Proto-Indo-European root.
- Using tu joues with a stranger or a superior can be perceived as a deliberate social insult or a sign of aggression.
- Beyond games and music, tu joues can describe gambling with money or acting a role in a theatre production.
Examples in context
- Tu joues au tennis ?Do you play tennis?This example is useful for asking if someone plays tennis using tu joues.Tatoeba #431371 by qdii, translation #39374 by CK
- Tu joues au baseball ?Do you play baseball?This example is useful for asking if someone plays baseball using tu joues.Tatoeba #8322289 by Julien_PDC, translation #7928249 by CK
- Pendant que tu joues, je lis.While you play, I read.This example is useful for describing an action happening while you play using tu joues.Tatoeba #5254344 by martin9, translation #5165619 by CarpeLanam
- Vous jouez bien au piano.You play the piano well.
- Vous pratiquez le tennis.You play tennis.
- Tu joues au football.You play football.
- Tu joues au foot.You play soccer.
- Tu joues au golf.You play golf.
- 22 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Chloé are in a park near a playground.
- GabrielTu joues avec le ballon ?Are you playing with the ball?
- ChloéNon, je cherche mon chien.No, I am looking for my dog.
- GabrielEst-ce que tu joues souvent ici ?Do you play here often?
- ChloéOui, j'adore ce parc.Yes, I love this park.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
