play at

演奏する、プレーする

特定の場所で音楽を演奏したり、試合や遊びに参加したりすること。

やさしい英語で： 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?

使い方： play at + place (The band will play at the town hall.)

よく使う表現： play at home, play at school, play at festivals

ごっこ遊びをする

遊びの中で、ある仕事や役割を持つ人になったつもりで振る舞うこと。

やさしい英語で： 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.

使い方： play at being someone (The children played at being shopkeepers.); play at something (We used to play at doctors.)

類義語： make believe, pretend

よく使う表現： play at pirates, play at doctors, play at teaching

何をやっている、何のつもりだ

悪い行動やばかなことをする相手に、怒って理由を尋ねる表現。

やさしい英語で： 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.

使い方： 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?)

よく使う表現： what you play at, what they play at

真似事をする、遊び半分でやる

物事に真剣に取り組まず、本気で努力せずに行うこと。

やさしい英語で： 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?

使い方： play at doing something (He plays at running a business but rarely works.); play at something (They are just playing at politics.)

類義語： dabble in, toy with

よく使う表現： play at politics, play at business, play at farming