303 lively sports in Spanish terms that'll get the ball rolling

Few things can bring people together like sports can, so learning how to talk about sports in Spanish will help you connect with the locals.

Every culture has some type of sport or game they play for recreational or competitive purposes. Spanish-speaking countries are no different, with devoted fan bases for sports like soccer, baseball, boxing, and more.

In fact, one of the oldest sports in the world was developed in Mexico and Northern Central America. The Mesoamerican Ballgame was the first team sport that included the use of a ball, so you could think of it as a precursor to other ball games like football and basketball!

As you’ll surely notice as you continue learning Spanish, sports are a huge part of the everyday lives of Spanish speakers. So, being able to talk about sports will help you:

• Make new friends as you discuss your shared interests.
• Learn about local sports and local variations on sports.
• Be more social by attending sports watch parties.
• Introduce yourself more thoroughly by mentioning your favorite sports.
• Buy tickets for sporting events.

With these in mind, it’s easy to see why learning sports vocabulary is one of the best things you can do!

How do you say “sports” in Spanish?

Of course, the first thing you’ll want to know is how to actually say sports. Luckily, there’s only one way to say it: los deportes. You can get some useful variations from this word as well, such as deportista (a person who does sports). Check out the following table for more details:

English	Spanish	IPA	Pronunciation
Sport	El deporte	deˈpoɾte	deh-pore-teh
Sports	Los deportes	deˈpoɾtes	deh-pore-tes
Sporty	Deportivo	depoɾˈtiβo	deh-pore-tee-vo
Sportsperson	Un deportista / Una deportista	depoɾˈtista	deh-pore-tees-ta

How to have a conversation about sports

If you’re eagerly approaching the intermediate Spanish level, you’re probably trying to find ways to have more conversations with Spanish speakers. This is especially true if you’re a sports fan and want to discuss the latest game with the locals.

Well, even if you haven’t learned a lot of Spanish sports vocabulary yet, these simple phrases will get you talking conversationally in no time!

English	Spanish	IPA	Pronunciation
What’s your favorite sport?	¿Cuál es tu deporte favorito?	ˈkwal ˈɛs tu ðeˈpoɾte faβoˈɾito	coo-al es too deh-pore-teh fa-vo-ree-toe
My favorite sport is baseball.	Mi deporte favorito es el béisbol.	mi ðeˈpoɾte faβoˈɾito ˈɛs ɛl ˈβei̯s̬βol	me deh-pore-teh fa-vo-re-toe es el beh-ees-bol
Do you like watching sports on the TV?	¿Te gusta ver deportes en la tele?	te ˈɣusta ˈβɛɾ ðeˈpoɾtes ɛ̃n la ˈtele	teh goose-ta ver deh-pore-tes ehn la teh-leh
I’m not so much into watching sports on the TV.	No me gusta mucho ver deportes en la tele.	ˈno me ˈɣusta ˈmuʧo ˈβɛɾ ðeˈpoɾtes ɛ̃n la ˈtele	no meh goose-ta moo-cho ver deh-pore-tes ehn la teh-le
Do you know who won the game last night?	¿Sabes quién ganó el juego de anoche?	ˈsaβes ˈkjɛ̃n ɡaˈno ɛl ˈxweɣo ðe aˈnoʧe	sa-bes key-ehn ga-no el who-eh-go deh ah-no-che
I’m a very athletic person.	Soy una persona muy atlética.	ˈsoj ˈuna pɛɾˈsona mwj at̚ˈlɛtika	soy oo-na per-so-na mooy ah-tleh-tee-ca
I used to swim as a kid, but now I prefer to run.	Solía nadar de chiquito, pero ahora prefiero correr.	soˈlia naˈðaɾ ðe ʧiˈkito | ˈpɛɾo aˈoɾa pɾeˈfjɛɾo koˈrɛɾ	so-lee-ah na-dar deh chee-key-to peh-ro ah-oh-ra preh-fee-air-oh co-rer
I like team sports the most.	Los deportes en equipo son mis favoritos.	los̬ ðeˈpoɾtes ɛn eˈkipo ˈsõm mis faβoˈɾitos	los deh-pore-tes ehn eh-key-po son mees fa-vo-ree-tos
Do you watch the Olympic games on TV?	¿Ves las olimpiadas en la tele?	ˈbes̬ las olĩmˈpjaðas ɛ̃n la ˈtele	ves las oh-leem-pee-ah-das ehn la teh-leh
What’s your favorite soccer team?	¿Cuál es tu equipo de fútbol favorito?	ˈkwal ˈɛs tw eˈkipo ðe ˈfutβol faβoˈɾito	coo-al es too eh-key-po fa-vo-ree-toe

Sport-related verbs in Spanish

Even if you’re just a beginner at Spanish, you probably can already tell that this is a verb-heavy language. As such, there are plenty of sport-related verbs that you should spend some time getting familiar with. And don’t forget about reviewing their conjugations!

English	Spanish	IPA	Pronunciation
To play	Jugar	xuˈɣaɾ	hoo-gar
To do sports	Hacer deporte	aˈsɛɾ ðeˈpoɾte	ah-ser deh-pore-teh
To practice	Practicar	pɾak̚tiˈkaɾ	prac-tee-car
To win	Ganar	ɡaˈnaɾ	ga-nar
To tie	Empatar	ɛ̃mpaˈtaɾ	em-pa-tar
To lose	Perder	pɛɾˈðɛɾ	pear-der
To exercise	Hacer ejercicio	aˈsɛɾ exɛɾˈsisjo	ah-ser eh-her-see-see-oh
To compete	Competir	kõmpɛˈtiɾ	com-peh-teer
To get injured	Lastimarse	lastiˈmaɾse	las-tee-mar-seh
To rest	Descansar	dɛskãnˈsaɾ	des-can-sar
To sign up	Inscribirse	ĩnskɾiˈβiɾse	ins-cree-beer-seh
To throw	Aventar	aβɛ̃nˈtaɾ	ah-vehn-tar
To catch	Atrapar	atɾaˈpaɾ	ah-tra-par
To cheer on	Echar porras	eˈʧaɾ ˈporas	eh-char poh-ras
To defeat	Derrotar	dɛroˈtaɾ	deh-ro-tar
To defend	Defender	defɛ̃nˈdɛɾ	deh-fen-dehr
To pass	Pasar	paˈsaɾ	pa-sar
To perform	Desempeñar	desɛ̃mpeˈɲaɾ	des-ehm-peh-nyar
To shoot	Tirar	tiˈɾaɾ	tee-rar
To tackle	Abordar	aβoɾˈðaɾ	ah-bore-dar

List of sports in Spanish

Now, let’s get into what you really came for: the ultimate list. We’ll cover practically every sport imaginable, from soccer to tennis in Spanish and beyond. We’ve broken down the list into more manageable chunks, so make sure to make your way through all sections if you can’t find the sport you’re looking for!

Outdoor sports 

Few things can fill you up with endorphins like playing sports outdoors. If you enjoy a good hike on a nice, sunny day or playing baseball with your friends, then this section is for you! Check out the table below to learn how to say outdoor sports like hiking and baseball in Spanish.

English	Spanish	IPA	Pronunciation
Athletics	El atletismo	at̚lɛˈtis̬mo	ah-tleh-tees-mo
Baseball	El béisbol	ˈβei̯s̬βol	beh-ees-bol
Softball	El softball	softˈβaʝ	softball
Bullfighting	El toreo	toˈɾeo	toe-reh-oh
Long jump	El salto de longitud	ˈsalto ðe lõnxiˈtuð	sal-toe deh lon-he-tood
High jump	El salto de altura	ˈsalto ðe alˈtuɾa	sal-toe deh al-too-ra
Pole vault	El salto con pértiga	ˈsalto kõm ˈpɛɾtiɣa	sal-toe con pear-tee-ga
Hammer throw	El lanzamiento de martillo	lãnsaˈmjɛ̃nto ðe maɾˈtiʝo	lan-za-mee-ehn-toe deh mar-tee-yo
Javelin throw	El lanzamiento de jabalina	lãnsaˈmjɛ̃nto ðe xaβaˈlina	lan-za-mee-ehn-toe deh ha-ba-lee-na
Racewalking	La marcha atlética	ˈmaɾʧa at̚ˈlɛtika	mar-cha ah-tleh-tee-ca
Parkour	El parkour	paɾˈkou̯ɾ	par-koor
Archery	El tiro con arco	ˈtiɾo kon ˈaɾko	tee-ro con ar-co
Skateboarding	El monopatinaje	monopatiˈnaxe	mo-no-pa-tee-na-heh
Surfing	El surf	ˈsuɾf	surf
Wakeboarding	El wakeboard	‘wakeβoɾð	wakeboard
Frisbee	El frisbi	ˈfɾis̬βi	frisbee
Dodgeball	El balón tiro	βaˈlõn ˈtiɾo	bah-lon tee-ro
Quidditch	El Quidditch	kiðˈðitʧ	quidditch
Lacrosse	El lacrosse	laˈkɾosse	lacrosse
Mountaineering	El montañismo	mõntaˈɲis̬mo	mon-ta-nyes-mo
Rock climbing	La escalada en roca	ɛskaˈlaða ɛ̃n ˈroka	es-ca-la-da ehn ro-ca
Hiking	El senderismo	sɛ̃ndɛˈɾis̬mo	sen-deh-rees-mo
Cycling	El ciclismo	siˈklis̬mo	see-klees-mo
Mountain biking	El ciclismo de montaña	siˈklis̬mo ðe mõnˈtaɲa	see-klees-mo deh mon-ta-nyah
Road bicycle racing	El ciclismo en ruta	siˈklis̬mo ɛ̃n ˈruta	see-klees-mo ehn roo-ta
Track cycling	El ciclismo en pista	siˈklis̬mo ɛ̃m ˈpista	see-klees-mo ehn pees-ta
Fishing	La pesca	ˈpɛska	pehs-ca
Spearfishing	La pesca submarina	ˈpɛska suβmaˈɾina	pehs-ca soob-ma-re-na
Golf	El golf	ˈɣolf	golf
Hunting	La caza	ˈkasa	ca-za
Running	La carrera a pie	kaˈrɛɾa a ˈpje	cah-reh-ra ah pee-eh
Cross country running	El campo a través	ˈkãmpo a tɾaˈβes	cam-po ah tra-ves
Marathoning	El maratonismo	maɾatoˈnis̬mo	ma-ra-toe-nees-mo
Sprinting	La carrera de velocidad	kaˈrɛɾa ðe βelosiˈðað	cah-reh-ra deh veh-lo-see-dad
Freerunning	El freerunning	fɾeɛɾũnˈnĩnɡ	freerunning
Obstacle course racing	La carrera de obstáculos	kaˈrɛɾa ðe oβsˈtakulos	cah-reh-ra deh obs-ta-coo-los

Indoor sports 

Indoor sports can be just as exciting as outdoor sports. In fact, many can be played both indoors and outdoors, such as basketball. Other sports like gymnastics are traditionally played indoors as they require a controlled environment for the athletes to perform their routines. Keep reading to learn how to say indoor sports like gymnastics and basketball in Spanish!

English	Spanish	IPA	Pronunciation
Competitive dance	El baile competitivo	ˈβai̯le kõmpɛtiˈtiβo	bah-e-leh com-peh-tee-tee-vo
Gymnastics	La gimnasia	xĩmˈnasja	him-na-see-ah
Trampolining	La gimnasia en trampolín	xĩmˈnasja ɛ̃n tɾãmpoˈlĩn	him-na-see-ah ehn tram-po-leen
Basketball	El baloncesto	βalõnˈsɛsto	bah-lon-sehs-toe
Carom billiards	El billar francés	βiˈʝaɾ fɾãnˈses	bee-yar fran-sehs
Snooker	El snooker	s̬noˈo	snooker
Acrobatic gymnastics	La gimnasia acrobática	xĩmˈnasja akɾoˈβatika	him-na-see-ah ah-cro-bah-tee-ca
Aerobic gymnastics	La gimnasia aeróbica	xĩmˈnasja aɛˈɾoβika	him-na-see-ah ah-eh-ro-bee-ca
Artistic gymnastics	La gimnasia artística	xĩmˈnasja aɾˈtistika	him-na-see-ah ar-tees-tee-ca
Rhythmic gymnastics	La gimnasia rítmica	xĩmˈnasja ˈrit̚mika	him-na-see-ah reet-me-ca
Pole dance	El baile en barra	ˈβai̯lɛ ɛ̃m ˈbara	bah-e-leh en ba-ra
Rope climbing	La escalada de cuerda	ɛskaˈlaða ðe ˈkwɛɾða	es-ca-la-da deh coo-air-da
Roller skating	El patín sobre ruedas tradicional	paˈtĩn ˈsoβɾe ˈrweðas tɾaðisjoˈnal	pa-teen so-breh roo-eh-das tra-dee-see-oh-nal
Tumbling	El tumbling	tũmˈblĩnɡ	tumbling
Wheel gymnastics	La rueda alemana	ˈrweða aleˈmana	roo-eh-da ah-leh-ma-na

Water sports

Water sports are some of the most fun sports out there. Whether you live by the beach, a major river, or a lake, you must have a body of water nearby where you can practice some exciting water sports. From kayaking to swimming in Spanish, check out the following table for more!

English	Spanish	IPA	Pronunciation
Canoeing	El canotaje	kanoˈtaxe	ca-no-ta-heh
Outrigger canoeing	El canotaje polinésico	kanoˈtaxe poliˈnesiko	ca-no-ta-heh po-lee-neh-see-co
Kayaking	El kayakismo	kaʝaˈkis̬mo	ka-ya-keys-mo
Sea kayaking	El kayakismo de mar	kaʝaˈkis̬mo ðe ˈmaɾ	ka-ya-keys-mo
Rafting	El balsismo	βalˈsis̬mo	bal-sees-mo
Rowing	El remo	ˈremo	reh-mo
Dragon boating	El piragüismo de barco de dragón	piɾaˈɣwis̬mo ðe ˈβaɾko ðe ðɾaˈɣõn	pee-ra-goo-ees-mo deh bar-co deh dra-gon
Standup paddleboarding	El surf de pala	ˈsuɾf ðe ˈpala	surf deh pa-la
Water polo	El waterpolo	watɛɾˈpolo	waterpolo
Canoe Polo	El kayak polo	kaˈʝak ˈpolo	ka-yak po-lo
Stone skipping	Hacer patito	aˈsɛɾ paˈtito	ah-ser pa-tee-toe
Underwater rugby	El rugby subacuático	ˈruɣβi suβaˈkwatiko	roog-bee soob-ah-coo-ah-tee-co
Underwater hockey	El hockey subacuático	ok̚ˈkei̯ suβaˈkwatiko	hoh-key soob-ah-coo-ah-tee-co
Swimming	La natación	nataˈsjõn	na-ta-see-on
Backstroke	El estilo espalda	ɛsˈtilo ɛsˈpalda	es-tee-lo es-pal-da
Breaststroke	El estilo braza	ɛsˈtilo ˈβɾasa	es-tee-lo bra-za
Butterfly stroke	El estilo mariposa	ɛsˈtilo maɾiˈposa	es-tee-lo ma-ree-po-sa
Medley	El medley	mɛðˈlei̯	medley
Synchronized swimming	La natación sincronizada	nataˈsjõn sĩnkɾoniˈsaða	na-ta-see-on seen-cro-nee-za-da
Finswimming	La natación con aletas	nataˈsjõn kon aˈlɛtas	na-ta-see-on con ah-tleh-tas
Freediving	La apnea	ap̚ˈnea	ap-neh-ah
Scuba diving	El buzo	ˈβuso	boo-zo
Spearfishing	La pesca submarina	ˈpɛska suβmaˈɾina	pes-ca soob-ma-ree-na
Snorkeling	El esnórquel	ɛs̬ˈnoɾkɛl	es-nor-kel

Net-and-ball sports

Net-and-ball sports are extremely popular all over the world. After all, who doesn’t enjoy a nice game of badminton or playing volleyball at the beach? If you’re a fan of these sports, we’ll show you how to say badminton and volleyball in Spanish!

English	Spanish	IPA	Pronunciation
Badminton	El bádminton	ˈβaðmĩntõn	bad-meen-ton
Bossaball	El bossaball	βossaˈβaʝ	bossaball
Fistball	El faustball	fau̯stˈβaʝ	faustball
Football tennis	El fútbol-tenis	ˈfutβoltenis	foot-boll teh-nees
Padel	El pádel	ˈpaðɛl	pa-dell
Pickleball	El pickleball	pik̚kleˈβaʝ	pickleball
Volleyball	El voleibol	βolei̯ˈβol	vol-eh-e-bol

Racket sports

Many racket sports are also net-and-ball sports, but not all of them are! Many racket sports don’t involve a racket at all, such as racquetball and crossminton. Others, like the wildly popular tennis, are both racket and net and ball sports. If you’re a racket sports fan, check out the table below to learn how to say tennis in Spanish!

English	Spanish	IPA	Pronunciation
Tennis	El tenis	ˈtenis	teh-nees
Table tennis	El tenis de mesa	ˈtenis̬ ðe ˈmesa	teh-nees deh meh-sa
Frontenis	El frontenis	fɾõnˈtenis	frontenis
Crossminton	El Crossminton	kɾoss̬ˈmĩntõn	crossminton
Racquetball	El raquetbol	rakɛtˈβol	raquet-bol
Squash	El squash	ˈskas	squash
Beach tennis	El tenis playa	ˈtenis ˈplaʝa	teh-nees pla-ya
Paddle tennis	El Paddle tennis	ˈpaððle ˈtɛ̃nnis	paddle tennis

Equestrian sports

They say dogs are a human’s best friend, but what about horses? Many consider horses to be family members, as these majestic animals can form deep and unique bonds with their humans. If you’ve ever owned a horse before, you’re probably dying to learn how to say equestrian sports!

English	Spanish	IPA	Pronunciation
Equestrian sports	Los deportes ecuestres	deˈpoɾtes eˈkwɛstɾes	deh-pore-tes eh-coo-ehs-tres
Buzkashi	El buzkashi	βusˈkasi	buzkashi
Charrería	La charrería	ʧarɛˈɾia	cha-reh-ree-ah
Chilean rodeo	El rodeo chileno	roˈðeo ʧiˈleno	ro-deh-oh chee-leh-no
Cross-country riding	El cross-country	kɾossˈkou̯ntɾi	cross-country
Dressage	La doma clásica	ˈðoma ˈklasika	do-ma clah-see-ca
Endurance riding	El enduro ecuestre	ɛ̃nˈduɾo eˈkwɛstɾe	ehn-doo-ro eh-coo-es-treh
Equitation	La equitación	ekitaˈsjõn	eh-key-ta-see-on
Eventing	El concurso completo	kõnˈkuɾso kõmˈplɛto	con-coor-so com-pleh-toe
Equestrian vaulting	El volteo	βolˈteo	vol-teh-oh
Harness racing	Las carreras de trotones	kaˈrɛɾas̬ ðe tɾoˈtones	ca-reh-ras deh tro-to-nes
Horse racing	El turf	ˈtuɾf	turf
Polo	El polo	ˈpolo	po-lo
Horseball	El horseball	oɾseˈβaʝ	horseball
Jousting	La justa	ˈxusta	hoos-ta
Mounted archery	El tiro con arco a caballo	ˈtiɾo kon ˈaɾko a kaˈβaʝo	tee-ro con ar-co ah ca-bah-yo
Pato	El pato	ˈpato	pa-toe
Rodeo	El rodeo	roˈðeo	ro-deh-oh
Show jumping	El salto	ˈsalto	sal-toe
Team penning	El team penning	teˈãm pɛ̃nˈnĩnɡ	team penning
Tent pegging	El tent pegging	ˈtẽnt ‘pɛɣĩnɡ	tent pegging

Football in Spanish

If you’ve spent time in Spain or Latin America before, you must already know how intensely Spanish speakers care about football. If you’re from the US, you should start getting used to one significant difference in terminology when talking about football in Spanish.

In Spanish, football (fútbol) refers to soccer, whereas American football (fútbol americano) refers to what is regularly known as football in the US!

English	Spanish	IPA	Pronunciation
Football (soccer)	El fútbol	ˈfutβol	foot-boll
Mob football	El fútbol de carnaval	ˈfutβol de kaɾnaˈβal	foot-boll deh car-na-val
Jorkyball	El Jorkyball	xoɾkiˈβaʝ	jorkyball
Beach soccer	El fútbol playa	ˈfutβol ˈplaʝa	foot-boll pla-ya
Indoor soccer	El fútbol rápido	ˈfutβol ˈrapiðo	foot-boll ra-pee-doe
Street football	El fútbol callejero	ˈfutβol kaʝeˈxɛɾo	foot-boll cah-yeh-heh-ro
Australian football	El fútbol australiano	ˈfutβol au̯stɾaˈljano	foot-boll ah-oos-tra-lee-ah-no
Gaelic football	El fútbol gaélico	ˈfutβol ɣaˈeliko	foot-boll gah-eh-lee-co
American football	El fútbol americano	ˈfutβol amɛɾiˈkano	foot-boll ah-meh-re-ca-no
Canadian football	El fútbol canadiense	ˈfutβol kanaˈðjɛ̃nse	foot-boll cah-na-dee-ehn-seh
Rugby	El rugby	ˈruɣβi	roog-bee
Touch football	El rugby sin contacto	ˈruɣβi sĩn kõnˈtak̚to	roog-bee seen con-tact-toe

Ice and snow sports

If you happen to live in a place with harsh winters, you’re probably an ice and snow sport enthusiast. From skiing to ice skating, there is plenty of fun to be had even when the temperature is below zero!

English	Spanish	IPA	Pronunciation
Snowboarding	El snowboard	s̬nowˈβo	snowboard
Skiing	El esquí	ɛsˈki	es-key
Bandy	El bandy	ˈβãndi	brandy
Broomball	El broomball	βɾoõmˈbaʝ	broomball
Curling	El curling	kuɾˈlĩnɡ	curling
Ice skating	El patinaje en hielo	patiˈnaxɛ ɛ̃n ˈɟʝelo	pa-tee-na-heh ehn e-eh-lo
Figure skating	El patinaje artístico sobre hielo	patiˈnaxe aɾˈtistiko ˈsoβɾe ˈʝelo	pa-tee-na-heh ar-tees-tee-co so-breh e-eh-lo
Ice climbing	La escalada en hielo	ɛskaˈlaða ɛ̃n ˈɟʝelo	es-ca-la-da ehn e-eh-lo
Ice hockey	El hockey sobre hielo	ok̚ˈkei̯ ˈsoβɾe ˈʝelo	hoh-ke so-breh e-eh-lo
Speed skating	El patinaje de velocidad sobre hielo	patiˈnaxe ðe βelosiˈðað ˈsoβɾe ˈʝelo	pa-tee-na-heh deh veh-lo-see-dad so-breh e-eh-l0

Combat sports

Although combat sports are usually associated with Asian countries (taekwondo, sumo wrestling, karate, etc), they are also very popular in Latin America. From boxing to lucha libre, and even some of the Asian combat sports mentioned earlier, many Spanish speakers practice or enjoy watching combat sports.

English	Spanish	IPA	Pronunciation
Jujutsu	El ju-jutsu	xuˈxutsu	yu-yoot-soo
Judo	El judo	ˈxuðo	yu-doo
Aikido	El aikido	ai̯ˈkiðo	aikido
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu	El jiu-jitsu brasileño	xjuˈxitsu βɾasiˈleɲo	jiu-jitsu bra-see-leh-nyo
Sambo	El SAMBO	ˈsãmbo	sam-bo
Sumo	El sumo	ˈsumo	sumo
Wrestling	La lucha	ˈluʧa	loo-cha
Folk wrestling	La lucha tradicional	ˈluʧa tɾaðisjoˈnal	loo-cha tra-dee-see-oh-nal
Freestyle wrestling	La lucha libre	ˈluʧa ˈliβɾe	loo-cha lee-breh
Lucha libre	La lucha libre mexicana	ˈluʧa ˈliβɾe mexiˈkana	loo-cha lee-breh meh-he-ca-na
Greek wrestling	La lucha griega	ˈluʧa ˈɣɾjeɣa	loo-cha gree-eh-ga
Bajiquan	El bājíquán	bai̯ˈxiʧwãn	baijiquan
Boxing	El boxeo	βokˈseo	box-eh-oh
Capoeira	La Capoeira	kapoˈei̯ɾa	ca-po-eh-e-ra
Chess boxing	El ajedrez boxeo	axeˈðɾes̬ βokˈseo	ah-heh-drez box-eh-oh
Karate	El karate	kaˈɾate	ka-ra-teh
Kenpō	El Kenpo	ˈkɛ̃mpo	kenpo
Kickboxing	El kickboxing	kik̚kβokˈsĩnɡ	kickboxing
Burmese boxing	El boxeo birmano	βokˈseo βiɾˈmano	box-eh-oh be-ma-re-no
Muay Thai	El boxeo tailandés	βokˈseo tai̯lãnˈdes	box-eh-oh ta-e-lan-des
Pradal Serey	El prodal	pɾoˈðal	prodal
Shaolin Kung Fu	El Shaolin Kungfu	saˈolĩn ˈkũnɡfu	shaolin kungfu
Taekwondo	El taekwondo	taeˈkwõndo	taekwondo
Bando	El bando	ˈβãndo	bando
Mixed martial arts	Las artes marciales mixtas	ˈaɾtes̬ maɾˈsjales̬ ˈmikstas	ar-tes mar-see-ah-les mix-tas
Ninjutsu	El ninjutsu	nĩnˈxutsu	ninjutsu
Tai chi	El taichí	tai̯ˈʧi	taichi
Fencing	La esgrima	ɛs̬ˈɣɾima	es-gree-ma
Tahtib	La esgrima con palos egipcia	ɛs̬ˈɣɾima kõm ˈpalos eˈxipsja	es-gree-ma con pa-los eh-heep-see-ah
Kendo	El kendo	ˈkɛ̃ndo	ken-do
Chinese martial arts	Las artes marciales de China	ˈaɾtes̬ maɾˈsjales̬ ðe ˈʧina	ar-tes mar-see-ah-les deh chee-na
Sword fighting	Las peleas de espadas	peˈleas̬ ðɛ ɛsˈpaðas	peh-leh-as deh es-pa-das

Motorized sports

Although motorcycles and trucks may not be the first thing to come to mind when you think of sports, there are plenty of professionals and spectators who would beg to differ! Considered extreme sports, most motorized sports should be played with extreme caution and under the supervision of professionals.

English	Spanish	IPA	Pronunciation
Autocross	El autoeslalon	au̯toɛs̬ˈlalõn	ah-oo-toe-ehs-la-lon
Banger racing	Las carreras de bánger	kaˈrɛɾas̬ ðe ˈβãnxɛɾ	ca-reh-ras deh banger
Demolition derby	Las carrera de destrucción	kaˈrɛɾa ðe ðɛstɾukˈsjõn	ca-reh-ras deh des-trooc-see-ohn
Drag racing	Las carreras de aceleración	kaˈrɛɾas̬ ðe aselɛɾaˈsjõn	ca-reh-ras deh ah-seh-leh-ra-see-on
Drifting	El drifting	dɾifˈtĩnɡ	drifting
Endurance racing	Una carrera de resistencia	kaˈrɛɾa ðe resisˈtɛ̃nsja	ca-reh-ra deh reh-sees-tehn-see-ah
Formula Libre	La Fórmula Libre	ˈfoɾmula ˈliβɾe	for-moo-la lee-breh
Hillclimbing	Las carreras de montaña	kaˈrɛɾas̬ ðe mõnˈtaɲa	ca-reh-ras deh mon-ta-nyah
Kart racing	El karting	kaɾˈtĩnɡ	karting
Rally raid	El rally raid	ˈraʝi ˈrai̯ð	rally raid
Rallying	Un rally	ˈraʝi	rally
Road racing	El automovilismo de velocidad	au̯tomoβiˈlis̬mo ðe βelosiˈðað	ah-ooh-to-mo-vee-lees-mo deh veh-lo-see-dad
Sports car racing	Las carreras de automóviles deportivos	kaˈrɛɾas̬ ðe au̯toˈmoβiles̬ ðepoɾˈtiβos	ca-reh-ras deh ah-ooh-toe-mo-vee-les deh-pore-tee-vos
Street racing	Una carrera ilegal	kaˈrɛɾa i̯leˈɣal	ca-reh-ra e-leh-gal
Truck racing	Las carreras de camiones	kaˈrɛɾas̬ ðe kaˈmjones	ca-reh-ra deh ca-me-oh-nes
Vintage motorsport	El automovilismo histórico	au̯tomoβiˈlis̬mo i̯sˈtoɾiko	ah-ooh-toe-mo-vee-lees-mo es-toe-ree-co
Freestyle motocross	El motociclismo estilo libre	motosiˈklis̬mo ɛsˈtilo ˈliβɾe	mo-toe-see-klees-mo ehs-tee-lo lee-breh
Grand Prix motorcycle racing	El Campeonato Mundial de Motociclismo	kãmpeoˈnato mũnˈdjal de motosiˈklis̬mo	cam-peh-oh-na-toe moon-dee-al deh mo-toe-see-klees-mo
Motocross	El motocrós	motoˈkɾos	mo-toe-cross
Off-roading	El todoterreno	toðotɛˈreno	toe-doe-teh-reh-no
Superbike racing	Una carrera de superbikes	kaˈrɛɾa ðe supɛɾˈβikes	ca-reh-ra deh superbikes

Mind sports

No, these are not the same as mind games, although many would make those seem like a sport as well! Mind sports refer to games that require significant thought, planning, and strategy, such as poker or Texas hold’em. Whether these are actually sports or not is quite contentious, but we’re not here to judge!

English	Spanish	IPA	Pronunciation
Contract bridge	El bridge de contrato	ˈβɾiðxe ðe kõnˈtɾato	bridge deh con-tra-toe
Poker	El póquer	ˈpokɛɾ	poker
Skat	El Skat	ˈskat	skat
Truco	El truco	ˈtɾuko	troo-co
Whist	El whist	ˈwist	whist
Omaha hold 'em	El Omaha holdem	oˈmaxa xolˈdɛ̃m	omaha holdem
Texas hold 'em	El Texas holdem	ˈtɛksas xolˈdɛ̃m	texas holdem

eSports

One of the most recent developments in the world of sports is the rise in popularity of eSports. These were developed as technology advanced and computers became more accessible to people all over the world. Nowadays, there are major eSports championships all around the world with championship awards of as much as $40 million!

English	Spanish	IPA	Pronunciation
Battle royale game	La batalla real	βaˈtaʝa reˈal	ba-ta-ya reh-al
Combat flight simulators	Los simuladores de vuelo de combate	simulaˈðoɾes̬ ðe ˈβwelo ðe kõmˈbate	see-moo-la-doe-res deh voo-eh-lo deh com-ba-teh
A fighting game	Un videojuego de lucha	biðeoˈxweɣo ðe ˈluʧa	vee-deh-oh-hoo-eh-go deh loo-cha
First-person shooter	Un videojuego de disparos en primera persona	biðeoˈxweɣo ðe ðisˈpaɾos ɛ̃m pɾiˈmɛɾa pɛɾˈsona	vee-deh-oh-hoo-eh-go deh dees-pa-ros ehn pree-meh-ra pear-so-na
Multiplayer online battle arena	Los videojuegos multijugador de arena de batalla en línea	βiðeoˈxweɣos̬ multixuɣaˈðoɾ ðe aˈɾena ðe βaˈtaʝa ɛ̃n ˈlinea	vee-deh-oh-hoo-eh-gos mool-tee-hoo-ga-dore deh ah-reh-na deh ba-ta-ya ehn lee-neh-ah
Real-time strategy	Los videojuegos de estrategia en tiempo real	βiðeoˈxweɣos̬ ðɛ ɛstɾaˈtexja ɛ̃n ˈtjɛ̃mpo reˈal	vee-deh-oh-hoo-eh-gos deh es-tra-teh-he-ah ehn tee-ehm-po reh-al
Rhythm game	El juego de ritmo	ˈxweɣo ðe ˈrit̚mo	hoo-eh-go deh reet-mo
Simulated racing	El automovilismo virtual	au̯tomoβiˈlis̬mo βiɾˈtwal	ah-ooh-toe-mo-vee-lees-mo veer-too-al
Third-person shooter	Un videojuego de disparos en tercera persona	biðeoˈxweɣo ðe ðisˈpaɾos ɛ̃n tɛɾˈsɛɾa pɛɾˈsona	vee-deh-oh-hoo-eh-go deh dees-pa-ros ehn ter-seh-ra pear-so-na
Virtual reality game	Un juego de realidad virtual	ˈxweɣo ðe realiˈðað βiɾˈtwal	hoo-eh-go deh reh-ah-lee-dad veer-too-al

Other sports and games in Spanish

Sports are so diverse and inventive that naturally many don’t fit one particular category. Here, you’ll find many “misfits” or unique sports that don’t fall into any of the above categories. Enjoy the following table with some fun sports and games in Spanish!

English	Spanish	IPA	Pronunciation
Competitive programming	La programación competitiva	pɾoɣɾamaˈsjõn kõmpɛtiˈtiβa	pro-gra-ma-see-on com-peh-tee-tee-va
Debate	El debate	deˈβate	deh-ba-teh
Fantasy sport	Un deporte de fantasía	deˈpoɾte ðe fãntaˈsia	deh-pore-teh deh fan-ta-see-ah
Speedcubing	El speedcubing	sˈpeɛðcuβĩnɡ	speedcubing
Arm wrestling	Pulsear	pulseˈaɾ	pul-seh-are
CrossFit	El CrossFit	kɾossˈfit	crossfit
Bodybuilding	El fisicoculturismo	fisikokultuˈɾis̬mo	fee-see-co-cool-too-rees-mo
Powerlifting	El levantamiento de potencia	leβãntaˈmjɛ̃nto ðe poˈtɛ̃nsja	leh-van-ta-mee-ehn-toe deh po-tehn-see-ah
Bowling	Los bolos	ˈβolos	bo-los
Pétanque	La petanca	pɛˈtãnka	peh-tan-ca
Shooting sports	El tiro deportivo	ˈtiɾo ðepoɾˈtiβo	tee-ro deh-pore-tee-vo

Competitive board games in Spanish

Similarly to eSports, competitive board games also have major championships that captivate hundreds of thousands of spectators. Just like the Netflix show, The Queen’s Gambit captivated millions of viewers with its intricate chess storyline, competitive board games can also draw big crowds.

English	Spanish	IPA	Pronunciation
Backgammon	El backgammon	βak̚kˈɣãmmõn	backgammon
Checkers	Las damas	ˈðamas	da-mas
Chess	El ajedrez	axeˈðɾes	ah-heh-drez
Chinese checkers	Las damas chinas	ˈðamas ˈʧinas	dah-mas chee-nas
Dominoes	El dominó	domiˈno	doe-mi-no
Mahjong	El mahjong	maˈxõnɡ	mahjong
Scrabble	El scrabble	ˈskɾaβl	scrabble
Sudoku	El sudoku	suˈðoku	sudoku
Air hockey	El aero-jóquey	aɛɾoˈxoki̯	ah-eh-ro-ho-key

Sports-related phrases in Spanish

On top of sports, there are a few related vocabulary words that you should learn to round out your sports vocabulary. Below you’ll find a list of some helpful words for sports venues, different types of matches, and even players!

English	Spanish	IPA	Pronunciation
Athlete	Un atleta	at̚ˈlɛta	ah-tleh-ta
Team	Un equipo	eˈkipo	eh-key-po
Coach	Un entrenador	ɛ̃ntɾenaˈðoɾ	en-treh-na-door
Field	Un campo	ˈkãmpo	cam-po
Rink	Una pista	ˈpista	pees-ta
Pool	Una alberca	alˈβɛɾka	al-bear-ca
Court	Una cancha	ˈkãnʧa	can-cha
Doubles	Dobles	ˈdoβles	do-bles
Match	Un partido	paɾˈtiðo	par-tee-doe
Sports venue	Un lugar de deportes	luˈɣaɾ ðe ðeˈpoɾtes	loo-gar deh deh-pore-tes
Sports equipment	Equipo deportivo	eˈkipo ðepoɾˈtiβo	eh-key-po deh-pore-tee-vo
Arena	Una arena	aˈɾena	ah-reh-na
Track	Una pista	ˈpista	pees-ta
Goalkeeper	Un portero	poɾˈtɛɾo	pore-teh-ro
Player	Un jugador	xuɣaˈðoɾ	hoo-ga-door
Amateur	Amateur	amaˈteu̯ɾ	ah-mah-toor
Award	Un premio	ˈpɾemjo	preh-me-oh
Captain	El capitán	kapiˈtãn	ca-pee-tan
Champion	El campeón	kãmpeˈõn	cam-peh-ohn
Contest	El concurso	kõnˈkuɾso	con-coor-so
Cup	La copa	ˈkopa	co-pa
Event	Un evento	eˈβɛ̃nto	eh-vehn-toe
Fan	Un aficionado	afisjoˈnaðo	ah-fee-see-oh-na-doe
Final score	La puntuación final	pũntwaˈsjõm fiˈnal	poon-too-ah-see-ohn fee-nal
Fitness	La aptitud física	ap̚tiˈtuð ˈfisika	ap-tee-tood fee-see-ca
Goal	La portería	poɾtɛˈɾia	pore-teh-ree-ah
Gym	El gimnasio	xĩmˈnasjo	him-na-see-oh
Half-time	El medio tiempo	ˈmeðjo ˈtjɛ̃mpo	meh-dee-oh tee-ehm-po
Judge	El juez	ˈxwes	who-ez
League	La liga	ˈliɣa	lee-ga
Medal	Una medalla	meˈðaʝa	meh-da-ya
Offside	Un fuera de lugar	ˈfwɛɾa ðe luˈɣaɾ	foo-eh-ra deh-loo-gar
Opponent	Un adversario	aðβɛɾˈsaɾjo	ad-ver-sah-ree-oh
Professional	Un profesional	pɾofesjoˈnal	pro-feh-see-oh-nal
Record	Un récord	ˈrekoɾð	reh-cord
Referee	El árbitro	ˈaɾβitɾo	ar-bee-troh
Rules	Las reglas	ˈreɣlas	reh-glas
Score	El puntaje	pũnˈtaxe	poon-tah-heh
Skill	La habilidad	aβiliˈðað	ah-bee-lee-dad
Spectator	Un espectador	ɛspek̚taˈðoɾ	ehs-pec-ta-door
Teammate	Un compañero de equipo	kõmpaˈɲɛɾo ðe eˈkipo	com-pa-nyeh-ro deh eh-key-po
Tournament	Un torneo	toɾˈneo	tore-neh-oh
Trainer	Un entrenador	ɛ̃ntɾenaˈðoɾ	ehn-treh-na-door
Trophy	Un trofeo	tɾoˈfeo	tro-feh-oh
Victory	La victoria	βik̚ˈtoɾja	vic-tore-e-ah
Whistle	Un silbato	silˈβato	seel-ba-toe

Example conversations

Want more real-life examples of sports conversation? Check out the example conversation below between two friends. One of them is nervous because he’s going to the snow but doesn’t know how to ski, and his friend gives him some uplifting words.

English	Spanish	IPA	Pronunciation
Can you ski?	¿Sabes esquiar?	ˈsaβes ɛsˈkjaɾ ‖	sah-bes es-key-are
No, I can’t ski, but I can snowboard. Can you?	No, no sé esquiar, pero sé andar en snowboard. ¿Y tú?	ˈno | ˈno ˈse ɛsˈkjaɾ | ˈpɛɾo ˈse ãnˈdaɾ ɛ̃n s̬nowˈβo ‖ i ˈtu ‖	no, no seh es-key-are, pear-oh seh an-dar ehn snowboard. y too
No, I’m going on a trip soon, and I’m nervous. I can ice skate, but I’ve never skied before.	No, me voy de viaje pronto y estoy nervioso. Sé patinar sobre hielo, pero nunca he esquiado.	ˈno | me ˈβoi̯ ðe ˈβjaxe ˈpɾõnto j ɛsˈtoi̯ nɛɾˈβjoso ‖ ˈse patiˈnaɾ ˈsoβɾe ˈʝelo | ˈpɛɾo ˈnũnka ˈe ɛsˈkjaðo ‖	no, meh voy deh vee-ah-heh pron-toe e ehs-toy ner-vee-oh-so. seh pa-tee-nar so-breh e-eh-lo pear-oh noon-ca eh es-key-ah-doe
You’ll get the hang of it in no time! All ice sports are very similar.	¡Vas a aprender muy rápido! Todos los deportes de hielo son muy similares.	ˈbas a apɾɛ̃nˈdɛɾ mwi ˈrapiðo ‖ ˈtoðos̬ los̬ ðeˈpoɾtes̬ ðe ˈʝelo ˈsõm mwi simiˈlaɾes ‖	vas ah ah-pren-der mooy ra-pee-doe. toe-dos los deh-pore-tes deh e-eh-lo son mooy see-me-la-res
Do you think so? I’m usually very sporty, but I’ve never been to the snow.	¿Eso crees? Normalmente soy muy deportista, pero nunca he ido a la nieve.	ˈeso ˈkɾees ‖ noɾmalˈmɛ̃nte ˈsoi̯ mwi ðepoɾˈtista | ˈpɛɾo ˈnũnka ˈe ˈiðo a la ˈnjeβe ‖	eh-so creehs? nore-mal-mehn-teh soy mooy deh-pore-tees-ta, pear-oh noon-ca eh ee-doe ah la nee-eh-veh
If you’re good at soccer, you’ll be a fine skier.	Si eres bueno para jugar fútbol, entonces serás un buen esquiador.	sj ˈɛɾes̬ ˈβweno ˈpaɾa xuˈɣaɾ ˈfutβol | ɛ̃nˈtõnses sɛˈɾas ũm ˈbwɛn ɛskjaˈðoɾ ‖	see eh-res boo-eh-no pa-ra who-gar foot-boll, ehn-ton-sehs seh-ras oohn boo-ehn es-key-ah-door
I’m a great soccer player! I also do yoga quite often.	¡Soy un gran jugador de fútbol! También hago yoga muy seguido.	ˈsoj ũn ˈɡɾãn xuɣaˈðoɾ ðe ˈfutβol ‖ tãmˈbjɛn ˈaɣo ˈʝoɣa mwi seˈɣiðo ‖	soy oohn gran who-ga-door deh foot-boll! tahm-bee-ehn ah-go yo-gah mooy seh-gee-doe
Oh, then you’ll ski like a pro in no time!	Ah, ¡entonces esquiarás como profesional de volada!	ˈa | ɛ̃nˈtõnses ɛskjaˈɾas ˈkomo pɾofesjoˈnal de βoˈlaða ‖	ah, ehn-ton-sehs es-key-ah-ras co-mo pro-feh-see-oh-nal deh vo-la-da

Example conversations whilst playing sports

If you’re already itching to get in the court or have already committed yourself to playing sports with some Spanish speakers, you’ll want to check out the following conversation. This is an example of a conversation between two friends after a soccer game where they discuss some of the highlights of the match.

English	Spanish	IPA	Pronunciation
Wow, what a great game!	Wow, ¡qué buen partido!	ˈwow | ˈke ˈβwɛ̃m paɾˈtiðo ‖	wow, keh boo-ehn par-tee-doe
Yeah! That second half was really tough, but we managed to beat you in the end!	¡Sí! Esa segunda mitad estuvo muy reñida, pero logramos ganarles al final!	ˈsi ‖ ˈesa seˈɣũnda miˈtað ɛsˈtuβo mwi reˈɲiða | ˈpɛɾo loˈɣɾamos̬ ɣaˈnaɾles al fiˈnal ‖	see! eh-sa seh-goon-da mee-tad es-too-vo mooy reh-nyeh-da, pear-oh lo-gra-moss ga-nar-les al fee-nal
You were lucky! If it hadn’t been for that offside, we would’ve won!	¡Tuvieron suerte! Si no hubiera sido por ese fuera de lugar, ¡les hubiéramos ganado!	tuˈβjɛɾõn ˈswɛɾte ‖ si ˈno u̯ˈβjɛɾa ˈsiðo poɾ ˈese ˈfwɛɾa ðe luˈɣaɾ | ˈles uˈβjɛɾamos̬ ɣaˈnaðo ‖	too-vee-eh-ron soo-air-teh! see no ooh-bee-air-ah see-do pore eh-seh foo-eh-ra deh loo-gar les ooh-bee-air-ah-mos ga-na-doe
Yeah, you really had it in the bag the first half!	Si, en verdad la tenían de ganar durante la primera mitad!	si | ɛ̃m bɛɾˈðað la teˈniãn de ɣaˈnaɾ ðuˈɾãnte la pɾiˈmɛɾa miˈtað ‖	see, ehn ver-dad la teh-nee-an deh ga-nar doo-ran-teh la pree-meh-ra mee-tad!

Most popular sports in different Spanish-speaking countries

No matter where you’re from, you’ll likely find some new and some familiar sports as you travel through the Spanish-speaking countries. If you’re wondering what the most popular sports are in different Spanish-speaking countries, you’ve come to the right place.

Soccer

Soccer is–by far–the most popular sport in Spain and Latin America. With many professional soccer leagues like Spain’s Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, there is plenty of interest in professional soccer.

Soccer is so popular, in fact, that one of the most popular original Spanish-language Netflix shows revolves around a football club! Netflix’s Club de Cuervos is a hilarious Mexican comedy-drama that deals with a fictitious soccer club and its owners. Watch this if you’re looking for a funny yet effective way to learn Spanish!

Baseball

You might think that baseball is as American as apple pie, but it is also wildly popular across Latin America! The Caribbean World Series is the largest baseball championship in Latin America, with seven different Latin American countries as yearly participants. The championship is rotated among the member countries.

The member countries of the Caribbean World Series are:

• Colombia
• Cuba
• The Dominican Republic
• Mexico
• Panama
• Puerto Rico
• Venezuela

So, if you’re a baseball fan and are looking for a Spanish-speaking country that shares your passion, any of the countries above will be a safe bet!

Bullfighting

The practice of bullfighting has been a part of Spanish culture for well over a thousand years, dating back to the eighth century. This sport consists of a bullfighter (known as el torero) repeatedly teasing a bull to prompt an attack. The bullfighter must dodge the attack and stab the bull with a sword until the bull collapses and dies.

While this sport is still very popular in Spain and some Latin American countries, its popularity has been drastically decreasing due to concerns about animal abuse. Many cities have chosen to ban the sport altogether. For example, Mexico City recently issued an indefinite ban on bullfighting within the city limits.

Boxing

Boxing is an extremely popular sport in many Latin American countries, but especially so in Mexico and Panama. Some of the best boxers in the world come from these two regions, making them true powerhouses in the industry.

Perhaps Mexico is the Spanish-speaking country with the most fanaticism for boxing. After all, Mexico is the birthplace of many combat sports like lucha libre. If you ever find yourself in Mexico City, make sure to attend a lucha libre match at Arena México!

Cycling

If you thought cycling was only popular in France, you might want to think again! Of course, people cycle for fun all over the world, but where else do people watch a cycling event like they do every year in France when the Tour de France is going on? Well, Spain!

La Vuelta a España is the Spanish version of the Tour and was established in 1935. It’s been held annually since 1955 and attracts thousands of viewers every year. If you’re into cycling, look no further than Spain!

Football?

Okay, maybe you’re a born-and-bred American and have a passion for (American) football. But you also want to learn Spanish! Does that mean you’d have to give up football in order to move to a Spanish-speaking country? Not necessarily!

If you’re a fan of the NFL, you probably already know that Mexico City hosts at least one NFL game every year. That’s because there’s a large NFL fanbase in Mexico that is eager to fill up the stadium to enjoy the game.

In fact, la Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional was founded in Mexico in 2016 to foster this interest in football in Mexico. The league continues to expand and currently has seven teams from across the country.

So, if you’d like an immersive Spanish-learning experience where you can also practice football, Mexico would be the perfect place for you!

Game, set, match!

Now that you’ve covered over 300 sports vocabulary words in Spanish, nothing could take you down. Whether you’re an inspired athlete with Olympic ambitions or simply want to make new friends and have a good time, you’ll surely find a way to put your newly-acquired vocabulary to good use.

And don’t forget to stay hydrated as you’re working up a sweat playing sports! Our guide to beverages in Spanish will help you replenish those electrolytes as you exercise. And don’t neglect your diet, either! Check out our guides to fruits and vegetables in Spanish to ensure peak performance as you play your favorite sports.

If you enjoyed this guide, be sure to check out the rest of our fun and helpful Spanish guides! We will teach you thousands of useful vocabulary words in easy-to-follow guides to help you improve your Spanish. Oh, and best of all? They’re all completely free!