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Spanish · Vocabulary · A2 to B2

Spanish sport vocabulary: el fútbol, jugar al tenis, ¡gol!

Un partido de fútbol · tap a player 123456
el delantero / la delanteradeh-lan-TEH-rohstriker, forward
El delanterothe strikermarcóscoredun gol.a goal
el deh-lan-TEH-roh mar-KOH oon GOL · “The striker scored a goal.”Why: marcar un gol = to score a goal. delante = in front.

Short answer: sport is el deporte; to do sport is hacer deporte. Ball games use jugar a: juego al fútbol, juego al tenis (a + el joins into al). Other sports use hacer or their own verb: hago yoga, nado (I swim), corro (I run). A match is un partido, a team un equipo, a goal un gol. Spain’s big leagues and teams have their own vocabulary too: la Liga, el Barça, el Madrid.

Which verb goes with which sport

Jugar a, hacer, practicar

jugar aGames with a ball, rules and opponents.
JuegoI-playal pádelat-the padellos domingos.the Sundays
HWEH-goh al PAH-del lohs doh-MEEN-gohs · “I play padel on Sundays.”Why: jugar changes u → ue: juego. Pádel is hugely popular in Spain.
hacerActivities you do, often alone or in a class.
HagoI-donatación.swimming
AH-goh nah-tah-THYON · “I go swimming.”Why: hacer + sport, with no article. Hacer deporte = to do sport.
own verbMany sports have their own verb.
CorroI-runcincofivekilómetros.kilometres
KOH-rroh THEEN-koh kee-LOH-meh-trohs · “I run five kilometres.”Why: correr is regular: corro, corres, corre.
Talking about a match

Marcar, empatar, ganar 2 a 1

Betis2–1Sevilla gana · winspierde · losesdos a uno1 – 1 = empate (a draw)
Scores are read with a: dos a uno (2–1). A goalless draw is cero a cero.
ganarto win
Ganamoswe-wondos a uno.two to one
gah-NAH-mohs dohs ah OO-noh · “We won 2–1.”Why: Also ganar a + team: ganamos al Sevilla (we beat Sevilla).
perderto lose
Perdieronthey-lostel partido.the match
pehr-DYEH-ron el par-TEE-doh · “They lost the match.”Why: perder (e → ie) in the present: pierdo. The preterite is regular: perdieron.
empatarto draw
Empataronthey-drewa cero.at zero
em-pah-TAH-ron ah THEH-roh · “It ended goalless.”Why: empatar a cero = 0–0. A draw is un empate.
marcarto score
¿Quiénwhomarcó?scored
KYEN mar-KOH · “Who scored?”Why: The c becomes qu before e: marqué (I scored).
el resultadoscore, result
¿Cómohowvan?go-they
KOH-moh BAN · “What’s the score?”Why: The everyday question during a match. Answer: Van dos a uno.
la prórrogaextra time
Fueronthey-wenta la prórroga.to the extra-time
FWEH-ron ah lah PROH-rroh-gah · “It went to extra time.”Why: Then come los penaltis (the penalty shoot-out).
Where you do sport

El estadio, la piscina, el gimnasio

PlaceSay itEnglishFor
el estadioes-TAH-dyohstadiumfootball, athletics
el campoKAM-pohpitch, fieldfootball, rugby
la canchaKAN-chahcourtbasketball, tennis (Latin America: also football)
la pistaPEES-tahcourt, tracktennis, padel, athletics
la piscinapees-THEE-nahswimming poolswimming
el gimnasioheem-NAH-syohgymfitness (el gym in speech)
el polideportivopoh-lee-deh-por-TEE-bohsports centreeverything
Being a fan

Soy del Betis

In Spain you say which team you support with ser de: literally “to be from” the team. A fan is un aficionado or un hincha; the fans as a group are la afición.

SoyI-amdel Betis.of-the Betis
SOY del BEH-tees · “I support Betis.”Why: ser de + team. de + el = del.
¿Deofqué equipowhich teameres?are-you
deh KEH eh-KEE-poh EH-res · “Which team do you support?”Why: The question puts de first: ¿De qué equipo…?
Vamoswe-goa verto seeel partido.the match
BAH-mohs ah BEHR el par-TEE-doh · “We’re going to watch the match.”Why: ver el partido = to watch the match, at home or in a bar.
¡Quéwhatgolazo!great-goal
keh goh-LAH-thoh · “What a goal!”Why: -azo makes a word bigger or more impressive: gol → golazo.
Keep going

Related guides

pescarHobbies vocabulary →Free time, from leer to pescar.marcóPreterite and imperfect →Marcó, ganamos, perdieron.-azoDiminutives and augmentatives →From golazo to partidito.la lesiónHealth vocabulary →Injuries and the body.