Oh my. This looks like a permanenet discussion point.
Write "We play cards." : Nous ________ cartes .jouons aux"Nous jouons aux cartes" could mean we are playing cards or refer to a specif time they play cards.
Could one say " Nous faisons des cartes" in answer to a general question about whether or not a family or group know how to play cards? They coud actually be learning to play bridge for example.
Hi Ian,
Jouer à and faire de are sometimes interchangeable for some sports -
Je fais du tennis, je joue au tennis
Je fais du rugby, je joue au rugby
Je joue au football, je fais du football
In the case of games like cards, or board games you can only use 'jouer à '-
Je joue aux cartes = I am playing cards
Je joue aux échecs = = I am playing chess
Je joue aux dames = I am playing draughts /U S checkers
Je joue au Monopoly = I am playing Monopoly
Je joue au Bridge = I am playing Bridge
As Céline says in the case of -
'Je fais des cartes'
it means you are making cards, in craft form.
Bonne Continuation!
Bonjour Ian,
‘Faire des cartes’ = to make cards
‘Nous faisons des cartes’ translates as ‘we are making cards’
I hope this is helpful.
Bonne journée!
If you specifically want to say 'we know how to play cards' either «on sait comment jouer aux cartes» or «nous savons comment jouer aux cartes», but it is still «(jouer) aux cartes». In 'every day' conversation, 'comment' may be left out of either sentence without changing understanding.
@Maarten: I believe it would be on sait jouer aux cartes (without comment). Similarly, nous savons jouer aux cartes.
Chris - either is acceptable, based on a number of online translators and native speakers I have checked with. Is there a grammatical reason you think including 'comment' is wrong?
@Maarten -- no, no grammar reason, mostly stylistic. It sounds "more French" to my ears. But, then, my ears may not be done calibrating yet. ;)
Like Chris, I always thought that it was wrong to include "comment", because it was redundant. In fact, Laura says that it's wrong here:
https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/savoir-vs-connaitre/
But it seems that's not correct. From what I can find on the internet, both are acceptable, and both can be translated as "to know how to", but there can be a slight nuance in meaning. If you include "comment" you put more stress on the method. Also, "savoir faire" means you can do something, while "savoir comment faire" might just mean that you know how to.
" Ils voudraient savoir comment faire . . " comes directly from another well-established French education program I use. It may not 'be right' but it is in use.
Don't have an account yet? Join today
Test your French to the CEFR standard
Find your French level