contrast.jugar-tocar
Jugar vs tocar: playing games vs instruments
Jugar (a) + games and sports (jugar fútbol / al fútbol); tocar + instruments and music (toca la guitarra). Tocar also = touch, knock, and 'be one's turn': te toca.
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Explanation
English 'play' covers two different actions that Spanish separates. Jugar is to play games and sports: jugar al fútbol, jugar a las cartas. Tocar is to play music or an instrument: toca la guitarra, tocan cumbia. Saying *jugar música or *jugar la guitarra is a classic error — music is always tocar.
There's a small structural detail: jugar al fútbol (with a) is the standard, Spain norm, while jugar fútbol (no a) is very common in Latin America. French speakers should note jouer de la guitare → tocar la guitarra, with no de.
Tocar is busy beyond music. It also means 'to touch' (no toques eso), 'to knock/ring' (tocaron el timbre), and 'to be one's turn or lot': te toca a vos ('it's your turn'), me tocó esperar ('I had to wait'), nos tocó un día de lluvia.
Examples
He plays basketball and plays the charango.
Region: global
Whose turn is it to do the dishes?
Region: global
The kids play in the yard while their grandfather plays the charango.