play at

spielen, auftreten

An einem bestimmten Ort Musik aufführen oder an einem Spiel teilnehmen.

In einfachem Englisch: To perform music or take part in a game at a particular place.

• We play at school.
• The band played at a small club.
• Will your team play at home on Saturday?

So benutzt man es: play at + place (The band will play at the town hall.)

Häufige Wendungen: play at home, play at school, play at festivals

so tun als ob

Im Spiel so tun, als hätte man einen bestimmten Beruf oder eine bestimmte Rolle.

In einfachem Englisch: To pretend to have a particular job or role as part of a game.

• The children play at pirates.
• We played at being astronauts.
• She likes playing at being a teacher.

So benutzt man es: play at being someone (The children played at being shopkeepers.); play at something (We used to play at doctors.)

Synonyme: make believe, pretend

Häufige Wendungen: play at pirates, play at doctors, play at teaching

sich dabei denken, im Schilde führen

Wird in einer wütenden Frage benutzt, um schlechtes oder unvernünftiges Verhalten zu beanstanden.

In einfachem Englisch: Used in an angry question to ask why someone is behaving badly or doing something foolish.

• What are you playing at?
• What on earth was he playing at, driving so fast?
• She demanded to know what we were playing at.

So benutzt man es: What are you playing at? (You nearly hit that cyclist! What are you playing at?); What do you think you are playing at? (What do you think you are playing at, leaving the door unlocked?)

Häufige Wendungen: what you play at, what they play at

halbherzig betreiben, so tun als ob

Etwas ohne Ernsthaftigkeit oder wirklichen Einsatz betreiben.

In einfachem Englisch: To do something without taking it seriously or making a real effort.

• He only plays at farming.
• She accused them of playing at business.
• Are you studying properly or just playing at being a student?

So benutzt man es: play at doing something (He plays at running a business but rarely works.); play at something (They are just playing at politics.)

Synonyme: dabble in, toy with

Häufige Wendungen: play at politics, play at business, play at farming