Talking about sports in Spanish will be easier if you have the vocabulary you need!
Just as it happens with other lexical fields, such as family members and jobs, words referring to sports are the same across Latin America and Spain.
Sometimes these words keep more or less their original root in English, like básquetbol, and at other times, there’s a more Spanish-sounding version, like baloncesto.
And since many of them originated in Anglophone countries, the names are just the same in both languages. We could add them to the list of 250 words that are the same in English and Spanish!
Are you ready to learn sports in Spanish? Let’s go!
Talking about sports in Spanish
You can practice the following words online or print this list and take it anywhere with you.
I suggest you try to memorize them by creating a meaningful example on your own!
List of sports in Spanish
alpinismo = mountaineering, alpinism
arquería = archery
artes marciales = martial arts
atletismo = athletics
automovilismo = car racing
básquetbol / básquet / baloncesto (Spain) = basketball
béisbol = baseball
billar / pool = pool
bolos / bowling = bowling
boxeo = boxing
buceo = diving
canotaje = canoeing
carrera de caballos = horse racing
carrera de lanchas = motorboat racing
caza = hunting
ciclismo = cycling
ciclismo de montaña = mountain biking
críquet = cricket
equitación = riding
esgrima = fencing
esquí = skiing
esquí acuático = waterskiing
footing (false anglicism used in Spanish) = jogging
fútbol americano = American football
fútbol = football, soccer (USA)
gimnasia = gymnastics
golf = golf
handball / hándbol / balonmano (Spain) = handball
hockey = hockey
hockey sobre hielo = ice hockey
jet ski = jey skiing
judo = judo
karate = karate
kayak = kayaking
lucha libre = wrestling
natación = swimming
navegación = sailing
paracaidismo = parachuting
patinaje / patín (Argentina) = skating
patinaje artístico / patín (Argentina) = figure skating
patinaje de velocidad = speed skating
patinaje sobre hielo = ice skating
pesas = weight lifting
pesca = fishing
polo = polo
rafting = rafting
remo = rowing
rugby = rugby
salto de esquí = ski jumping
senderismo = hiking
skateboard = skateboarding
snowboard = snowboarding
surf = surfing
taekwondo = taekwondo
tenis = tennis
tenis de mesa / ping-pong = ping-pong
tiro al blanco = target shooting
vóleibol / vóley = voleyball
waterpolo = water polo
windsurf = windsurfing
And that’s all for today!
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I hope you have enjoyed this article with vocabulary related to talking about sports in Spanish!
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Thank you very much and until next time,
Kevin.