"Hacer, practicar, or jugar deportes"
Please explain which one to use when saying to play sports - "hacer deportes", "practicar deportes" and/or "jugar deportes"
5 Answers
Hacer deportes is ok. Practicar deportes is ok too but it gives more the idea of training. Hacer deportes would be the more general expression.
As for "jugar" deportes , it's wrong.
In English we play golf, tennis, football, soccer etc. In all cases we use "play" if the sport is with a ball and we also say "play sports" In Spanish we say "jugar" al tenis, al golf , a la bolita (jaja), al basketball etc when it's with a ball but we don't say "jugar" deportes.
Bolita is canicas or marbles.
In short. Jugar deportes is wrong but jugar al tenis, fútbol, golf etc (when you have a ball) is ok.
In Spain it is very common to say:
Hago mucho deporte: juego al tenis, al padel, nado, hago buceo, hago surf.
También juego al ajedrez y a las damas.
Truth is...I "only" swim and dive, jejeje,
Here we say "practicar" deportes, but when speaking of the action of actually "playing" a sport we say things like. Me gusta mucho jugar al fútbol o béisbol o lo que sea. However with certain sports in which you do not "play" games we use "practicar"
Ex. yo practico el karate, o judo, etc. Claro que hay competencias pero no son "partidos."
Oh, and you cannot say, like in English: jugar deporte.
You have to mention what exactly you play: juego al tenis, juego al fútbol.
Juego a deportes, juego deportes <---------------no no!!
Hello!
These links from 2010 & 2011 might be the answer to your question.
- jugar, practicar, hacer + deporte
- What is the difference between 'practicar' and 'jugar'?
- jugar vs. practicar
Hope this helps.
Regards!
