jouent

Jouent is the third-person plural present indicative form of the French verb jouer, meaning to play. It is used with the subjects ils or elles, as in ils jouent (they play).

Present tense overview: Je joue, tu joues, il/elle joue, nous jouons, vous jouez, ils/elles jouent.

Usage and meaning: The verb jouer covers playing a game or sport, performing a role, or playing a musical instrument. In French, the continuous aspect is usually expressed without a special form, so phrases like ils jouent can translate as “they are playing” based on context. It can also describe playing a part in a film or theater, as in ils jouent le rôle principal.

Examples: Ils jouent au football tous les samedis. Elles jouent du piano. Les enfants jouent dans le parc. These examples show the broad range of contexts in which jouer and its form jouEnt appear.

Etymology and related forms: The verb derives from Old French jouer, connected with jeu (game, play) and with roots that trace back to Latin notions of play or jest. Related nouns include le jeu (the game) and le joueur (the player). The form jouent specifically marks the third-person plural present tense.