When do you put "al" before a sport?

Question

En la playa, los locales juegan petanca, voleibol o fútbol or los locales juegan al petenca, voleibol o fútbol"

On the beach, the locals play petanca, volleyball or football

Answer 1

I would personally avoid' locales' because this word, in Spanish does NOT mean local people, it means premises. I would use ' la gente' or ' los vecinos' .

If you play roulette, its jugar ' a la ruleta'. This may help you to understand why it is jugar a la petanca, but al fútbol.

Oh thank you, I keep on forgetting that! I'm guessing it's due to the gender of the game then...I wasn't sure if it was all sports that have "a la" or "al" before it - wong1, Apr 25, 2016

I thinkit is all sports, at least I can't think of one that misses out on the ' a'. - annierats, Apr 25, 2016

Answer 2

You use Jugar +"al" for masculine gender sports or games. "a la" for feminine. I know that Mexicans do not use this construction, I have many Mexicans in my classes and this always brings up a discussion. So I tell them as far as the class is concerned please use "jugar + al or a la."

Good rule! I wonder what the Mexican equivalent for "You ain't from around here, are ya?" is. - Jubilado, Apr 26, 2016

No eres de aquí ¿Eh? (In espanglés we say) "estas partes" (these parts) - Daniela2041, Apr 26, 2016

Thanks guys I have learned a lot of stuff not in textbooks from you two darlings. - ray76, Apr 27, 2016

Answer 3

I think traditionalists might say that you always use "a" -- but the reality is that it is often omitted, at least in Mexico. This has been discussed before.

Did you mean to write "al, a la" because otherwise what would you omit? - Jubilado, Apr 25, 2016

By "a" I meant "a la" or "al" as appropriate. - jtaniel, Apr 26, 2016

Thanks for the reply. - Jubilado, Apr 26, 2016