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I see that du is used with sport. However for a specific game, I am confused which is the correct phrase

jouer au football (en jouant au football)

or

jouer du football (en jouant du football)

I see a related question with regard to piano/music. « Jouer au piano » ou « jouer du piano » ? If someone can explain in simple English it will be of great help.

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Abhimanyu Arora
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    I have a vague memory that it's "jouer au football" (but "faire du football"), but I can't tell you whether (or why) it's correct. Helpful! – hairboat Aug 21 '13 at 19:01

4 Answers4

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It's the verb that drives the preposition. The verb jouer has many possible meanings; depending on the meaning its complement(s) may start with this or that preposition or none.

For a sport or a game, the preposition is à.

Il joue au football.
Il joue aux échecs.

For a musical instrument, the preposition is de.

Il joue du piano.

The basic idea of the distinction is that jouer à is for participating in an activity, while jouer de is for using a physical implement. For a physical implement that represents a game by metonymy, it's still jouer à: “jouer aux dés”, “jouer aux boules”. Jouer de is not in very common use outside musical instruments.

Gilles 'SO nous est hostile'
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Pretty certain it's “jouer au football“.

Stéphane Gimenez
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Martin
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I really have a fun way to remember it.. JSD for sports...that is jouer de and sports u can remember it by the indian baller jaspinder....

If one is jouer de the other one jouer a is obvviously for the musical instrument...hope u got it

Akshara

Akshara
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    The question is 3 years old and has an accepted answer. I think he/she got it. Considering you're new, you should visit the tour page and the help center. Also, it's good practice to avoid necroposts on answered questions. – Teleporting Goat Feb 06 '17 at 15:53
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    The lack of formatting makes this very difficult to read. Besides it does add anything to the previous answer. – None Feb 06 '17 at 17:07
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    This question seems to attract late and bad answers... – Laurent S. Mar 02 '20 at 13:17
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As far as I can see, you use 'jouer de' for a musical instrument (jouer du piano, jouer de la guitare, jouer de la flûte etc.) et 'jouer à' for any game or sport (jouer aux échecs, jouer aux dames, jouer au volley, jouer au tennis, jouer à la pétanque).

incises
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    There's no point answering an already accepted answer, trying to say the same thing in no better way. – None Mar 03 '20 at 10:16
  • C'est exact, mais au moment où j'ai écrit ma réponse, il ne m'avait pas semblé qu'il en existait d'autres... Erreur de débutant, peut-être. – incises Mar 03 '20 at 14:05