Spanish vocabulary: sports

By Marta Díaz on Monday, December 11, 2023

Are you a fan of the world of sports? If you want to expand your Spanish vocabulary about sports, this is the perfect article for you. Learn all the words in Spanish about your favourite sport and immerse yourself in the language.

Exploring sports-related vocabulary in Spanish is an exciting way to enrich your language skills. In this article, you will find all the words you need about each sport to keep a Spanish conversion about your favourite team or players.

Spanish sports names

Before starting with the specific vocabulary of each sport; it is important that you know their names in Spanish. Here is a list of all the most common and well-known sports:

• Fútbol - Soccer
• Baloncesto - Basketball
• Tenis - Tennis
• Atletismo – Athletics
• Natación - Swimming
• Ciclismo - Cycling
• Golf - Golf
• Voleibol - Volleyball
• Béisbol - Baseball
• Bádminton - Badminton
• Rugby - Rugby
• Hockey - Hockey
• Esquí - Skiing
• Patinaje - Skating
• Boxeo - Boxing
• Automovilismo - Motorsport
• Surf - Surfing
• Equitación - Horseback Riding
• Karate - Karate
• Lucha - Wrestling
• Artes marciales – Martials Arts
• Escalada - Rock Climbing
• Waterpolo – Waterpolo

Football vocabulary in Spanish

Football or soccer is one of the most played and known sports in the world. Therefore, it is not surprising that in any conversation in Spanish the subject comes up. Even more considering that soccer is the sport par excellence in Spain, thanks to great teams such as Real Madrid or Barcelona, and the Spanish national soccer teams, both female and male.

Find here all the football vocabulary in Spanish you need:

• Equipo de fútbol – Soccer team
• Jugador o futbolista – Player or Footballer
• Alineación - Lineup
• Banquillo - Bench
• Sustitución - Substitution
• Entrenador – Coach or Trainer
• Capitán - Captain
• Portería - Goal
• Portero - Goalkeeper
• Delantero - Forward
• Centrocampista - Midfielder
• Defensa - Defender
• Goleador – Goal scorer
• Árbitro - Referee
• Falta - Foul
• Partido - Game
• Balón de fútbol - Ball
• Campo de juego - Pitch
• Marcador - Scoreboard
• Estadio - Stadium
• Vestuario – Dressing room
• Fuera de juego - Offside
• Penalti - Penalty
• Remate - Shot
• Saque de banda – Throw in

Basketball vocabulary in Spanish

Another of the most popular sports is basketball. Here is the list of Spanish vocabulary about this sport that you need to know:

• Jugador de baloncesto – Basketball player
• Titular – Starter player
• Suplente – Reserve player
• Jugador novato – Rookie player
• Pívot - Center
• Base – Point guard or Playmaker
• Ala-Pívot – Power forward
• Escolta – Shooting guard or Small forward
• Alero - Forward
• Tablero - Backboard
• Canasta - Basket
• Aro - Rim
• Esquina - Corner
• Línea de fondo - Baseline
• Línea de tres puntos o línea triple – Three-point line
• Línea de medio campo – Half-court line or mid-court line
• Línea de banda - Sideline
• Línea de tiro libre – Foul line or Free-throw line
• Circulo central – Center circle
• Zona de tiro libre – Foul lane
• Zona restringida – Restricted area
• Tiempo muerto – Time out
• Prórroga - Overtime
• Asistencia – Assist or Dime
• Puntos – Points or Score
• Tiro - Shoot
• Pase - Pass
• Rebote - Dribble
• Mate – Dunk shot
• Robo - Steal
• Finta – Fake

Other Spanish words for different sports

The star sports par excellence in many parts of the world are football and basketball. Although there are thousands of modalities and sports with their specific Spanish vocabulary. For example:

Tennis

These are some key words in tennis:

• Raqueta - Racquet
• Saque - Serve
• Cancha - Court
• Servicio - Service
• Doble falta - Double fault
• Pista de tenis - Tennis court
• Red - Net
• Punto de partido - Match point

Athletics

Some useful words if you talk about athletics:

• Carrera - Running
• Salto de altura - High jump
• Lanzamiento de disco - Discus Throw
• Carrera de vallas - Hurdles race
• Línea de meta- Finish line

Swimming

If you like swimming, these words will be very useful:

• Piscina - Swimming Pool
• Estilos de natación - Swimming Styles
• Estilo libre - Freestyle
• Estilo mariposa - Butterfly style
• Brazada - Stroke
• Respiración - Breathing
• Bucear o sumergirse - Diving
• Flotar - Float
• Trampolín - Springboard
• Gafas de natación - Swimming goggles
• Aletas de buceo - Diving fins
• Gorro de natación - Swimming cap

Exploring Spanish vocabulary related to sports improves your language skills and brings you closer to Spanish-speaking culture. From now on you will be able to participate in conversations about sports in Spanish thanks to this extensive vocabulary.

Get the courage to use these terms in your conversations and practice with native speakers. The Spanish sports vocabulary will open a world of possibilities for you to connect with other football, basketball, or tennis lovers.

However, if you are looking to expand your knowledge of the language, your language skills, and your level of Spanish in general, the intensive Spanish courses at Enforex are the key. These courses are adapted for all levels and ages, so don't hesitate to learn Spanish in Spain with us and become a fluent Spanish speaker in a short period of time.