play the piano / play piano (2025)

Hello! I need some help.
I'm not sure about which of this sentences is right (maybe both are?)

She was playing piano
She was playing the piano.

Thanks!!!!

Two students at a music school

"Do you specialise in piano or violin?"
"I play piano, how about you?"
"Oh, I play violin"

"I play the piano every afternoon"

"I heard that you have two musical instruments a piano and a violin, which do you prefer?"
"I prefer the piano"

"the piano" is a concrete object
"to play piano" is more abstract and refers more to the concept or discipline

But both of your examples were OK

In this context I prefer "She was playing the piano"

....................................................................................

NOTE If you are not clear then please ask again.
By the way, I play (the) guitar!

In British English, I´ve never heard "play piano", in any context.

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Ah. We Americans use it a lot. As illustrated by the previous examples "play piano" is more often used to refer to the ability to play the instrument, while "play the piano" is used to refer to the act of playing the instrument. But both are acceptable in either context.

greenheyes said:

In British English, I´ve never heard "play piano", in any context.

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I am British and I promise you it is correct. I have spent much of my life involved in one way or another with music. Admittedly "to play piano" etc. is mostly used by classical musicians amongst themselves and rarely in other branches of music but I think all would understand it.

aztlaniano said:

She was playing piano could also be understood as meaning "she was playing (any given instrument) softly (not forte).

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Good point!

Parlanchina said:

Ah. We Americans use it a lot. As illustrated by the previous examples "play piano" is more often used to refer to the ability to play the instrument, while "play the piano" is used to refer to the act of playing the instrument. But both are acceptable in either context.

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I don't think this is true...I would be equally likely to say

'She is playing piano' as I would 'She is playing the piano.'

I think what differentiates the act from the ability to play the instrument is the chosen verb tense, i.e. 'She plays piano' or 'She plays the piano.' The present tense in both of these cases, to me, means this person has the ability to play the instrument.

Using the to be+_ing makes me think it is an action.

I think they're virtually interchangeable, it MIGHT change the meaning slightly from the act of playing ("play piano"), to "play the piano," if you want to refer to the instrument. But "play the piano" can be used to mean the act as well.

I liked iminipimini's examples. One of them, "I heard that you have two musical instruments a piano and a violin, which do you prefer?"
"I prefer the piano"

could also be replied to with, "I prefer piano," (" prefer PLAYING the piano).

My 2 cents

stumerr said:

I think they're virtually interchangeable, it MIGHT change the meaning slightly from the act of playing ("play piano"), to "play the piano," if you want to refer to the instrument. But "play the piano" can be used to mean the act as well.

I liked iminipimini's examples. One of them, "I heard that you have two musical instruments a piano and a violin, which do you prefer?"
"I prefer the piano"

could also be replied to with, "I prefer piano," (" prefer PLAYING the piano).

My 2 cents

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Not specifically, you just say I like piano, I like playing piano. I am playing the piano now...........you do not write it down do you? just say it. casually mate!! keen to ball? how about playing some ball this afternoon? I can also say " I like playing basketball. how is it about playing some basketball this afternoon?"