Sports (Leaving Cert Spanish): Revision Notes

Sports

Team sports vocabulary

Understanding team sports terminology is essential for discussing sporting preferences and activities in Spanish. These sports typically use the verb jugar (to play) when describing participation.

Spanish	English
el fútbol gaélico	Gaelic football
el fútbol	football
el baloncesto	basketball
el rugby	rugby
el hockey	hockey
el hurling	hurling
el tenis	tennis
el bádminton	badminton
el vóleibol	volleyball

Individual sports vocabulary

Individual sports require different verbs when discussing participation, typically hacer (to do/make) rather than jugar.

Spanish	English
la natación	swimming
la vela	sailing
la equitación	horse riding
el kárate	karate
el remo	rowing
el atletismo	athletics
el footing	jogging
el ciclismo	cycling
el buceo	diving

General sports vocabulary

These terms are useful for discussing sports in broader contexts and expressing opinions about sporting activities.

Spanish	English
el deporte	sport
el ejercicio	exercise
el equipo	team/equipment
el partido	match
el/la jugador/a	player
la piscina	swimming pool
el estadio	stadium
el gimnasio	gym
la copa	cup/trophy
el torneo	tournament
el/la aficionado/a	fan
emocionante	exciting
en vivo	live

Key vocabulary for expressing opinions includes emocionante (exciting) and aficionado/a (fan), which appear frequently in sports discussions.

Grammar: The irregular verb "jugar"

The verb jugar (to play) is essential when discussing team sports. It's a stem-changing verb where 'u' changes to 'ue' in most forms, but remains 'u' in the nosotros and vosotros forms.

Person	Spanish	English
yo	juego	I play
tú	juegas	you play (singular)
él/ella	juega	he/she plays
nosotros/nosotras	jugamos	we play
vosotros/vosotras	jugáis	you play (plural)
ellos/ellas	juegan	they play

Grammar: Other useful verbs for sports

Different sports activities require different verbs. Understanding which verb to use with which activity is crucial for natural-sounding Spanish.

Regular verbs:

• practicar (to practise) - used with most sports
• montar (to ride) - montar en bicicleta (to ride a bicycle)
• nadar (to swim)
• correr (to run)
• caminar (to walk)

Irregular first-person verbs:

• hacer (to do/make): hago ejercicio/deporte/natación
• salir (to go out): salgo a correr
• ver (to watch/see): veo el partido en la televisión
• ir (to go): voy al gimnasio/a la piscina

Model sentences using sports vocabulary

These example sentences demonstrate how to use sports vocabulary in context, showing different tenses and structures commonly used when discussing sporting activities.

Useful expressions for discussing sports

These phrases help you express opinions, give reasons, and discuss sports preferences naturally. The highlighted expressions are particularly idiomatic and valuable for creating sophisticated responses.

• Soy muy deportista - I'm very sporty
• Me gusta ver el deporte en la tele - I like watching sport on TV
• Prefiero ir al estadio - I prefer going to the stadium
• Es un jugador genial - He's a brilliant player
• Lo pasamos muy bien - We had a great time
• Nos divertimos mucho - We really enjoyed ourselves
• Me gusta el ambiente - I like the atmosphere
• Me encanta el ruido de los aficionados - I love the noise of the fans
• Fue una experiencia que nunca voy a olvidar - It was an experience I'm never going to forget

Giving reasons:

• porque (because) - Me gusta el tenis porque es emocionante
• por (for/because of) - Me gusta por su éxito en el fútbol
• a causa de (because of) - A causa de su actitud positiva

Sample writing piece about sports

Here's a model response discussing sports preferences, demonstrating varied vocabulary, tenses, and expressions. The highlighted phrases show particularly valuable language for exams.