Last Updated on June 14, 2026 by I Love Spanish Club
Do you love sports? Then you’ll love this guide! Whether you want to talk about your favorite sport, follow a game in Spanish, or simply expand your vocabulary, knowing sports terms in Spanish is incredibly useful. In this guide you’ll find 80+ sports in Spanish with useful phrases, grammar tips and real example sentences. ¡A jugar!
⚽ How to Talk About Sports in Spanish — Key Verbs
Before the vocabulary list, let’s learn the key verbs you’ll need to talk about sports:
| Spanish | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Jugar | To play (a sport/game) | Juego al fútbol los fines de semana. |
| Practicar | To practice / to do a sport | Practico natación todos los días. |
| Hacer | To do (exercise/sport) | Hago ciclismo por las mañanas. |
| Entrenar | To train | Entreno tres veces por semana. |
| Ganar | To win | Mi equipo ganó el partido. |
| Perder | To lose | Perdimos el partido ayer. |
| Empatar | To draw / tie | El partido terminó en empate. |
| Competir | To compete | Voy a competir en el torneo. |
| Correr | To run | Corro 5 kilómetros cada mañana. |
| Nadar | To swim | Nado en la piscina los lunes. |
💡 Grammar tip: In Spanish use jugar a + sport for ball/team sports: jugar al fútbol, jugar al tenis, jugar al baloncesto. But use practicar / hacer for individual sports: practicar natación, hacer ciclismo, hacer yoga.
🏆 80+ Sports in Spanish — Complete List
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Tiro con arco | Archery |
| Atletismo | Athletics (Track and Field) |
| Bádminton | Badminton |
| Béisbol | Baseball |
| Baloncesto | Basketball |
| Biatlón | Biathlon |
| Bolos | Bowling |
| Boxeo | Boxing |
| Buceo | Scuba Diving |
| Caballos de Carrera | Horse Racing |
| Capoeira | Capoeira |
| Carrera de Aventura | Adventure Racing |
| Carrera de Orientación | Orienteering |
| Ciclismo BMX | BMX Racing |
| Ciclismo de Montaña | Mountain Biking |
| Ciclismo en Pista | Track Cycling |
| Ciclocross | Cyclocross |
| Cricket | Cricket |
| Curling | Curling |
| Descenso de Barrancos | Canyoning |
| Esgrima | Fencing |
| Escalada Deportiva | Sport Climbing |
| Esquí Acuático | Water Skiing |
| Esquí de Fondo | Cross-country Skiing |
| Esquí Freestyle | Freestyle Skiing |
| Esquí Alpino | Downhill Skiing |
| Fisicoculturismo | Bodybuilding |
| Fútbol | Soccer / Football |
| Fútbol Americano | American Football |
| Fútbol Playa | Beach Soccer |
| Fútbol Sala | Futsal (Indoor Soccer) |
| Gimnasia Artística | Artistic Gymnastics |
| Gimnasia Rítmica | Rhythmic Gymnastics |
| Golf | Golf |
| Halterofilia | Weightlifting |
| Handball | Handball |
| Hockey sobre césped | Field Hockey |
| Hockey sobre hielo | Ice Hockey |
| Jiu-Jitsu | Jiu-Jitsu |
| Judo | Judo |
| Karate | Karate |
| Kayak | Kayaking |
| Kickboxing | Kickboxing |
| Kitesurf | Kitesurfing |
| Lacrosse | Lacrosse |
| Lucha Grecorromana | Greco-Roman Wrestling |
| Lucha Libre | Wrestling |
| Motociclismo | Motorcycle Racing |
| Natación | Swimming |
| Natación Sincronizada | Synchronized Swimming |
| Patinaje de Velocidad | Speed Skating |
| Patinaje Artístico | Figure Skating |
| Pentatlón Moderno | Modern Pentathlon |
| Piragüismo | Canoeing |
| Polo | Polo |
| Rafting | Rafting |
| Remo | Rowing |
| Rugby | Rugby |
| Salto Base | BASE Jumping |
| Salto de Altura | High Jump |
| Salto de Longitud | Long Jump |
| Salto con Pértiga | Pole Vault |
| Skateboarding | Skateboarding |
| Snowboard | Snowboarding |
| Softbol | Softball |
| Squash | Squash |
| Surf | Surfing |
| Taekwondo | Taekwondo |
| Tenis de Mesa | Table Tennis (Ping Pong) |
| Tenis | Tennis |
| Tiro al Plato | Skeet Shooting |
| Triatlón | Triathlon |
| Voleibol Playa | Beach Volleyball |
| Voleibol | Volleyball |
| Waterpolo | Water Polo |
| Windsurf | Windsurfing |
💬 Useful Sports Phrases in Spanish
Talking about your sport
| ¿Practicas algún deporte? | Do you play any sport? |
| Juego al fútbol desde los cinco años. | I’ve been playing soccer since I was five. |
| Mi deporte favorito es el baloncesto. | My favorite sport is basketball. |
| Practico natación tres veces por semana. | I swim three times a week. |
| Hago ciclismo de montaña los fines de semana. | I go mountain biking on weekends. |
| Entreno en el gimnasio todos los días. | I train at the gym every day. |
Watching & following sports
| ¿Viste el partido anoche? | Did you watch the game last night? |
| ¿Quién ganó el partido? | Who won the game? |
| Mi equipo favorito es el Nacional. | My favorite team is Nacional. |
| El partido terminó en empate. | The game ended in a draw. |
| ¿A qué hora empieza el partido? | What time does the game start? |
| Vamos al estadio este domingo. | We’re going to the stadium this Sunday. |
💡 Cultural tip: Football (fútbol) is by far the most popular sport across Latin America and Spain. In Colombia, the national team is known as La Selección Colombia and is a huge source of national pride. Cycling is also incredibly popular — Colombia has produced world-class cyclists like Egan Bernal and Nairo Quintana!
Sports are one of the easiest topics to talk about in any language — there’s always a game to discuss, a team to support, or a story to tell. A native tutor on Italki can have a real conversation with you about football, debate which team is better, or walk you through the rules of a sport you’re curious about.
🎯 Quick Practice Quiz
Translate these into Spanish:
- My favorite sport is tennis.
- I swim three times a week.
- Who won the game?
- We’re going to the stadium this Sunday.
- I’ve been playing soccer since I was five.
✅ Show Answers
- Mi deporte favorito es el tenis.
- Practico natación tres veces por semana.
- ¿Quién ganó el partido?
- Vamos al estadio este domingo.
- Juego al fútbol desde los cinco años.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Why do some sports use “jugar” and others use “hacer” or “practicar”?
It comes down to whether the sport involves a ball/game (jugar) or is more of an individual physical activity (hacer/practicar). Jugar al fútbol (play soccer) vs hacer yoga (do yoga) vs practicar natación (practice swimming). When in doubt, practicar is a safe choice for almost any sport.
What’s the difference between “ganar” and “vencer”?
Ganar means “to win” generally — ganamos el partido (we won the game). Vencer means “to defeat/beat” and focuses on the opponent — vencimos al equipo rival (we defeated the rival team). Both are common in sports commentary.
How important is football (soccer) really in Spanish-speaking culture?
Extremely important — in most Spanish-speaking countries, football isn’t just a sport, it’s a major part of social life and identity. Watching a match with friends, discussing the national team, and following famous players are everyday topics. Watching live matches or sports shows on LingoPie is a great way to hear fast, excited commentary Spanish — a totally different register from textbook Spanish!