What is the rule?

Question

I don’t see any rule offered as to when to use faire de or jouer à. In fact the samples provided include both, “Il fair du tennis” and “Il joue à tennis.” Is there a rule as to when to use one or the other?

Chris Wirt · Accepted Answer

I find this lesson also a bit convoluted and not particularly well presented. Would benefit from a tweaking.
Je fais du tennis. -- This means that I'm playing tennis in a general sense, like pursuing the sport.Je joue au tennis. -- I am playing tennis (meaning I'm in a tennis match).
Faire de + activity expresses pursuing the activity in a general senseJouer à + activity says that you're doing that activity now.

Karl Grass · Answer

Thanks - I also found another resource that described it as faire de = an activity and jouer a = a game - which is similar to your helpful answer.