Vocabulary - types of sport and verbs to describe exercise
El fútbol (football) is hugely popular in Spain and the country is home to some of the world's biggest and most successful clubs like Barcelona and Real Madrid. The national team does pretty well too! Some well-known Spanish personalities from other sports include Rafael Nadal (tennis), Fernando Alonso (Formula 1) and Pau Gasol (basketball). Here are some different sports to get you started:
| el alpinismo | climbing |
| los artes marciales | martial arts |
| el atletismo | athletics |
| el baloncesto | basketball |
| el boxeo | boxing |
| el ciclismo | cycling |
| el críquet | cricket |
| el esquí | skiing |
| la equitación | horse riding |
| el fútbol | football |
| la gimnasia | gymnastics |
| la natación | swimming |
| el patinaje | skating |
| el piragüismo | canoeing |
| el tenis | tennis |
| la vela | sailing |
You may also refer to el deporte (sport), el ejercicio (exercise) or la actividad física (physical activity).
The key verbs that are used to talk about sport are jugar (to play a sport), practicar (to practise/do/take part in a sport) and hacer (to do). It is important to know how to use these in the past, present and future tenses:
| Past | Present | Future |
|---|---|---|
| jugué al tenis (I played tennis). | juego al tenis (I play tennis). | voy a jugar/jugaré al tenis (I am going to play/I will play tennis). |
| practiqué el atletismo (I did athletics). | practico el atletismo (I do athletics). | voy a practicar/practicaré el atletismo (I am going to do/I will do athletics). |
| hice la natación (I went swimming). | hago la natación (I go swimming). | voy a hacer/haré la natación (I am going to go/I will go swimming). |
Other useful verbs for talking about sports are:
| andar/caminar | to walk |
| bailar | to dance |
| correr | to run |
| escalar | to climb |
| esquiar | to ski |
| ganar | to win |
| ir al gimnasio | to go to the gym |
| marcar (un gol) | to score (a goal) |
| montar a caballo/en bici | to go horseriding/cycling |
| nadar | to swim |
| participar | to participate |
| patinar | to skate |
| perder | to lose |
| saltar | to jump |
You may also want to say how often you take part in certain sports:
| a menudo | often |
| a veces | sometimes |
| diariamente | daily |
| nunca | never |
| siempre | always |
| regularmente | regularly |
| de vez en cuando | from time to time/once in a while |
| todos los días/cada día | every day |
| raramente | rarely |
| dos veces a la semana | twice a week |
| cada semana | every week |
These young people are posting on social media about how much sport they do.
Paco
Juego al tenis regularmente con mis amigos, pero odio el boxeo porque es muy violento. También voy al gimnasio cada día.
Lana
Después de mis exámenes, me gustaría aprender a practicar los artes marciales porque me fascinan. Es importante hacer deporte entonces me gusta correr diariamente y también monto en bicicleta cada fin de semana.
Jordi
Tengo que admitir que no hago mucho deporte. Solamente practico el atletismo una vez a la semana en el colegio y voy al polideportivo para nadar de vez en cuando.
- Question
Read the social media posts, note two sports that each person does and say how often they do them. Write your answers in English.
Paco
Sport How often tennis regularly goes to the gym every day Be careful as Paco mentions el boxeo (boxing), but does not say that he boxes, in fact, he says that he hates it!
Lana
Sport How often running daily cycling every weekend Lana says that she wants to take up martial arts after her exams, she does not say that she does this sport.
Jordi
Sport How often athletics once a week swimming from time to time Jordi says no hago mucho deporte (I don't do much sport) but make sure that you look for the correct answers in what else he says.