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verb · A1 · very often · UK/US

play

play

Meaning of play

take part in a game

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How important is this word
A1very often

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Pronunciation
British English/ˈpleɪ/
American English/tə ˈpleɪ/
Russian transcription[ɪˈgratʲ]
play
play - играть
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play with Russian translation

play usage examples

🇷🇺Russian🇬🇧English

По субботам мы играем в настольные игры в общественном центре.

On Saturdays we play board games at the community centre.

🇷🇺Russian🇬🇧English

Он хочет сыграть в футбол с соседями после работы.

He wants to play football with his neighbours after work.

Learn by topic

play belongs to the topic "Pets". Start with a short 7-word set so the word is easier to remember in context.

playиграть
oceanокеан
groupгруппа
pairпара
cowкорова
eggяйцо
pigeonголубь

play synonyms

Related word breakdowns

What's the difference between play / take part in / participate in / act / perform / join in

🇬🇧English
play

general verb for taking part in games, music, sports, acting or amusement

A1Very Often

I play football every weekend.

Я играю в футбол каждые выходные.

T
🇬🇧English
take part in

to be involved in an event or activity; emphasizes participation rather than playing for fun

A2Often

She takes part in the school play.

Она принимает участие в школьном спектакле.

P
🇬🇧English
participate in

to join or be involved in an activity or event; slightly more formal than 'take part in'

A2Often

They participate in the annual tournament.

Они участвуют в ежегодном турнире.

🇬🇧English

to perform as an actor (play a role) or to take action; as a synonym of 'play' only in the acting sense

A2Often

He acts in a local theatre group.

Он играет роль в местном театре.

🇬🇧English

to present a show, music, or action to an audience; more formal than 'play' in performance contexts

A2Often

She performs classical music at concerts.

Она выступает с классической музыкой на концертах.

J
🇬🇧English
join in

to take part with others in an activity that is already happening; casual and social

A2Often

Come and join in the game!

Пойдёшь и присоединишься к игре!

E
🇬🇧English
engage in

to become involved in an activity; formal and often used for work or serious activities

B1Rarely

He engages in community projects in his free time.

Он участвует в общественных проектах в свободное время.

🇬🇧English

to do something repeatedly to improve skill; differs from 'play' when the emphasis is on training or rehearsal

A2Often

I practice the piano every day.

Я каждый день тренируюсь на пианино.

What's the difference

Related words and lists for play

How to pronounce play and what this word means

play translation: играть. This page includes translation, pronunciation, transcription, audio, usage examples and related words.

how to pronounce play

/ˈpleɪ/

play translation

играть

play examples

On Saturdays we play board games at the community centre.

play transcription

/ˈpleɪ/, /tə ˈpleɪ/

How this dictionary entry is reviewed

ZapomniEnglish prepares dictionary data automatically, then the editorial workflow checks high-frequency words, top lists, and pages that already receive search impressions first.

Translation and meaningPronunciation and transcriptionExamples, synonyms, and topics

Questions about this word

play meaning: what does it mean?

take part in a game

play pronunciation: how do you pronounce it?

play is pronounced as /ˈpleɪ/. Audio is available on this page when the word has a recording.

play definition and sentence examples: how is it used in a sentence?

On Saturdays we play board games at the community centre. Translation: По субботам мы играем в настольные игры в общественном центре.

Is play part of Pets vocabulary?

Yes, play (играть) can be learned in the Pets topic. This semantic link helps build related word lists and topic-based practice.

Is play part of Living Beings vocabulary?

Yes, play (играть) can be learned in the Living Beings topic. This semantic link helps build related word lists and topic-based practice.

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