Los deportes (Sports)

Whether you like to play, watch, or just talk about them, sports are part of everyday life in many Spanish-speaking countries. From fútbol to béisbol to hiking and swimming, knowing how to talk about sports can help you connect with others, describe your interests, and even cheer for your favorite team.

In this section, you’ll learn key vocabulary to name popular sports, talk about players and equipment, and express what you like to do in your free time.

These vocabulary words were read by a speaker from Valencia, España.

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• ir en bicicleta 🚴

• riding a bicycle

• correr 🏃

• running

• nadar / hacer natación 🏊

• swimming

• jugar fútbol ⚽

• playing soccer

• jugar básquetbol/baloncesto 🏀

• playing basketball

• jugar tenis 🎾

• playing tennis

• jugar vóleibol 🏐

• playing volleyball

• jugar béisbol ⚾

• playing baseball

• hacer yoga 🧘

• doing yoga

• esquiar 🎿

• skiing

• patinar (en hielo)🛼

• (ice) skating

• hacer artes marciales 🥋

• doing martial arts

• hacer gimnasia🤸

• doing gymnastics

• levantar pesas 🏋️‍♀️

• weight lifting

• escalar 🧗

• climbing

• montar a caballo 🐎

• horseback riding

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Indica si las siguientes oraciones son ciertas o falsas:

Nota: Los deportes en los países hispanohablantes

In many Spanish-speaking countries, sports are more than just hobbies: they’re part of daily life and cultural identity. Soccer or fútbol is not only the most played sport, but also a social ritual: kids play in the streets, friends organize weekend games, and entire communities follow local and national teams with passion.

In some regions, sports are shaped by local traditions and geography. In the Caribbean, baseball is played widely, with many professional players coming from Spanish-speaking islands. In the Andes, sports like cycling and mountain hiking often happen on routes used by locals for generations.

What makes sports unique in these countries isn’t just the activity, it’s how people connect through them, turning public spaces into community hubs and blending sport with music, food, and celebration.

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El trekking más austral del mundo:

Elementos del mundo deportivo (Elements of the Sports World)

These vocabulary words were read by a speaker from Valencia, España.

(See full alt text in this document)

• el/la/le árbitro(a/e) 🏁

• referee

• el arco / la portería 🥅

• goal (structure)

• el aro 🏀

• hoop

• el/la/le atleta 🏃

• athlete

• el balón / la pelota ⚽

• ball

• el campeonato /la competencia 🏆

• championship / competition

• el calentamiento 🔥

• warm-up

• el/la/le capitán(a/e) 🧢

• captain

• la clasificación 📊

• ranking

• la derrota

• defeat

• el empate 🤝

• tie

• la/el/le entrenador(a/e) 🧑‍🏫

• coach

• el entrenamiento 💪

• training

• el equipo 👥

• team

• el/la/le fanático(a/que) / hincha 📣

• fan

• el gol / la anotación 🎯

• goal/score

• el/la/le jugador(a/e) 🧍

• player

• el marcador / marcar 🧮

• scoreboard / to score

• el partido / el juego 🕹️

• match/game

• la raqueta 🥍

• racket

• la red 🕸️

• net

• el trofeo 🏆

• trophy

• la victoria ✅

• victory

Fun Fact: Did you know that in many Spanish-speaking countries, the word “gol” is often shouted with great emotion and can last several seconds during a soccer match? Sports commentators, especially in Latin America, are famous for dramatically stretching the word — “¡Gooooooooooooool!” — making it one of the most iconic expressions in the world of sports broadcasting.

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