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Play nice!

Bongoon

Senior Member
English
Hi there,

How would I translate the term "Play nice!" into French? Even though it is a command/ an instruction I want to preserve its informal, almost humorous angle.

Merci d'avance!

B
Hummm...maybe:

Allez vas-y!
Allez, mieux que ça!
Montre nous / Montre leurs !
Fais nous voir ce que tu as dans le ventre!

Bien que je pense que la meilleure traduction de "Play nice !" serait peut-être:

Joue! dans le sens: "Allez, joue bien maintenant" = more like a reproach, but friendly...

N'oublie pas, joue! = more like a tips / advice / support (encourragement)
N'ais pas peur de jouer! = more like: " Come on! Beat them !!! " )

Sorry for my english !
Hope that help you...
👁 Wink ;)
If i have understand : "Play nice" is different than "Nice play"

like in french:

"Joue!" est différent de "Bien joué!"

👁 Wink ;)
I could come up with a good translation, I think, if you could just answer my question, is "play nice!" used, for example, when your kid is going outside to play with his friends and you dont want him to get in a fight or hurt himself? If so, the translation would be something like:

"fait attention!"
"soit gentil!"
"sois prudent!" would be the best, IMO
En englais, ça veut dire «soit gentil», quand les enfants commencent à jouer un peu aggressivement. Est-ce qu'il y a une expression qu'on dit particulièrement aux enfants (ou ironiquement aux adultes) dans ce sens?
Ok, j'avais pas du tout compris l'expression tout à l'heure!!!

Je pense qu'en français, pour dire de jouer gentillement à un enfant tout en voulant qu'il fasse attention, on peut dire:

"Fais doucement!"
"Joue! Mais ne te fais pas mal!"
"Va jouer et fais attention !"
"Sois prudent!"

👁 Wink ;)
In my particular situation is was a friend and his ex-girlfriend. I had to leave them in a room together for a few minutes so I said (part joke, part serious): "Play nice" - meaning that they should behave themselves (and not bicker or fight).

In this sense, is "soit gentil" the right translation?
I interpret "Play nice" as be considerate of your playmates, do not fight, behave yourself, do not throw sand in their face.

Just a note, in BE this would be "play nicely." We don't tend to use adjectives to describe verbs.
Franglais1969's comment is interesting. It reminds me of a recent thread (in the English Only forum, I believe) about the expression "Drive careful".
I interpret "Play nice" as be considerate of your playmates, do not fight, behave yourself, do not throw sand in their face.

Franglais1969's comment is interesting. It reminds me of a recent thread (in the English Only forum, I believe) about the expression "Drive careful".

Should be drive carefully! 👁 Stick Out Tongue :p
I'd say "Restez corrects" - what a ref may say to a player, not really what you'd say to a child. "Pas de bagarre, hein!" would be the same sort of jockingly stern warning.
"Tout doux!"
"Soyez zen!"

"Restez cool!" "Restez calme!" "Restez tranquille" (choisir un seul des 3 !)


"Allez-y mollo!" = ils peuvent régler leurs comptes mais pas se jetter dessus et se battre.
"Cool, calme, zen" = une formule pour leur dire de ne pas oublier de rester tranquille.

"Et... n'en profitez pas pour vous frittez !"
"Soyez sage!" = formule passe partout, aussi bien pour les enfant qui jouent, ta situation avec tes amis, et même s'ils n'étaient pas en froid et au contraire trés amoureux tu pourrais leur dire ceci ( qui signifirait alors: "Ne faites pas de folies" ou encore "Pas de cochoneries").
Just a note, in BE this would be "play nicely." We don't tend to use adjectives to describe verbs.

"Play nice" is also unacceptable in formal AE. The use of an adjective as an adverb appears either for humorous effect, in some dialects (perhaps influenced by some Scandinavian and Asian imports), and in baby talk.
"Play nice" is also unacceptable in formal AE. The use of an adjective as an adverb appears either for humorous effect, in some dialects (perhaps influenced by some Scandinavian and Asian imports), and in baby talk.

But you do often hear people yell "Play nice now!" at their kids.

I think it is the influence of German used by first-generation immigrants over the centuries. German uses the same term for adverbs and adjectives. Spielt schön - Play nice.

In some parts of the US with a strong German ethnic presence you also hear people say "Please?" when they ask someone to repeat something they didn't hear clearly (="Bitte?")
Wow - great discussion! Thanks for all the insights...
For my purposes I am going to go with "Soyez gentils"!
Merci b!
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