Team sports are activities in which several people play together to achieve a common goal. In Spanish, they are used a lot in conversations about leisure, school, news, and television. They also appear when talking about Actividades, because they are part of the daily life of many people. In this group there are sports such as soccer, basketball, or volleyball, where each player has a role and the result depends on teamwork.

The most common names are soccer, basketball, baseball, volleyball, hockey and rugby. Soccer is the most common sport in much of the Spanish-speaking world. Basketball is used for basketball, and volleyball for volleyball. In some countries people also say basket in informal conversations, but basketball is the general form. When you talk about likes or routines, you can say: I like soccer or I play basketball on weekends.

rugbyvoleibolfútbol salabéisbolfútbolhandballhockeybaloncestocríquetsoftbol

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Deporte en el que la pelota pasa por encima de la redDeporte en el que se intenta encestar la pelota en un aroDeporte en el que se golpea una pelota con un bateDeporte parecido al béisbol con una pelota más grandeDeporte en el que se lanza un balón con la mano para marcarDeporte de contacto en el que se avanza con un balón ovaladoVariante de fútbol que se juega en una cancha pequeñaDeporte en el que dos equipos intentan meter goles con un balónDeporte en el que un equipo batea y corre para hacer carrerasDeporte en el que se mueve un disco o una pelota con un palo

Most Common Team Sports

Word	Definition
fútbol	Sport in which two teams try to score goals with a ball.
baloncesto	Sport in which you try to score with the ball in a hoop.
béisbol	Sport in which a team bats and runs to score runs.
voleibol	Sport in which the ball goes over the net.
hockey	Sport in which you move a disk or a ball with a stick.
rugby	Contact sport in which you advance with an oval ball.
handball	Sport in which you throw a ball with the hand to score.
fútbol sala	Variant of soccer played on a small court.
críquet	Sport in which you hit a ball with a bat.
softbol	Sport similar to baseball with a larger ball.

Scramble

In a match the players participate and, in some sports, also the goalkeeper or goalie. The coach directs the team from outside the field. Inside the game, there are positions such as defense, forward, midfielder and point guard, depending on the sport. In volleyball there is talk of setter and spiker. The basic idea is simple: each person has a different task and everyone works for the same team. You can say: The forward scores goals or The goalkeeper prevents the ball from entering.

defensadelanteroárbitroaficionadocapitánjugadorjugadorasuplenteporteroentrenador

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Persona que participa en un partido y forma parte de un equipoPersona que guía al grupo y representa al equipoPersona que participa en un partido y forma parte de un equipoPersona que espera para entrar y reemplazar a otraPersona cuya tarea principal es evitar ataques del rivalPersona que organiza el trabajo y decide la estrategiaPersona que juega cerca de la zona de ataque para marcarPersona que aplica las reglas durante el partidoPersona que protege la portería en deportes como fútbol o handballPersona que sigue un deporte con entusiasmo

People and Positions within the Team

Word	Definition
jugador	Person who participates in a game and is part of a team.
jugadora	Person who participates in a game and is part of a team.
portero	Person who protects the goal in sports like soccer or handball.
defensa	Person whose main task is to prevent attacks from the opponent.
delantero	Person who plays near the attacking zone to score.
capitán	Person who leads the group and represents the team.
entrenador	Person who organizes the work and decides the strategy.
árbitro	Person who enforces the rules during the game.
suplente	Person who waits to enter and replace another.
aficionado	Person who follows a sport with enthusiasm.

Scramble

The most common actions are pass, score, defend, attack, shoot and spike. Pass is to give the ball to another player. Score means to get a point or a goal. Defend is to prevent the other team from advancing. Attack is to try to approach the goal, the hoop, or the scoring zone. Shoot is used a lot in basketball and baseball. Spike appears mainly in volleyball and soccer, when a player hits hard to finish the play. You also hear verbs such as kick, run and they jump in continuous action, especially in outdoor sports Deportes al Aire Libre.

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Golpear o enviar la pelota en la jugada finalProteger tu zona para que el rival no avanceDetener la pelota o el avance del rivalMover la pelota con fuerza hacia un objetivoHacer un punto o un golEnviar la pelota a otro jugadorIntentar llegar a la meta rivalElevar el cuerpo para alcanzar la pelotaDesplazarse rápido para seguir la jugadaHacer que la pelota suba y baje sobre el suelo

Basic Actions During the Match

Word	Definition
pasar	Send the ball to another player.
marcar	Score a point or a goal.
defender	Protect your zone so the opponent doesn’t advance.
atacar	Try to reach the opponent’s goal.
lanzar	Move the ball with force toward a target.
rematar	Hit or send the ball in the final play.
correr	Move quickly to follow the play.
saltar	Raise the body to reach the ball.
botar	Make the ball bounce up and down on the ground.
parar	Stop the ball or the opponent’s advance.

Scramble

The ball and the ball are the most useful words, but they do not mean exactly the same in all contexts. Ball is used a lot in soccer, basketball and volleyball. Ball appears in baseball, tennis and other sports. The place where it is played can be the court, the track or the field, depending on the sport. In soccer one talks about goal or net; in basketball, about basket; in hockey, about goal; and in baseball, about base and bats. If someone says the court is full, they are talking about the playing space, not a street or a building.

canchabancoarcoredporteríabalónpistauniformesilbatopelota

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Tela o barrera que separa dos lados del juegoLugar donde se juega un partidoSuperficie preparada para correr o competirNombre usado para la meta en algunos deportesLugar donde se sientan los suplentesObjeto que usa el árbitro para señalar accionesRopa que identifica a un equipoObjeto redondo que se usa para jugar en muchos deportesEstructura donde se intenta meter el golPelota grande usada en muchos deportes de equipo

Objects and Spaces of the Game

Word	Definition
pelota	Round object used to play in many sports.
balón	Large ball used in many team sports.
cancha	Place where a match is played a game.
pista	Surface prepared for running or competing.
portería	Structure where you try to score the goal.
arco	Name used for the goal in some sports.
red	Woven fabric or barrier that separates two sides of the game.
banco	Place where substitutes sit.
uniforme	Clothing that identifies a team.
silbato	Object the referee uses to signal actions.

Scramble

A match is an encounter between two teams. If there are several rounds or several teams, it is called a tournament or championship. To talk about the result you use the scoreboard: win, lose and draw. You can also say The team won two to one or They ended two to zero. The people who support a team are fans, supporters or followers. In a stadium you hear ¡Vamos! or ¡Gol!; in basketball or handball, also ¡Nice! or ¡Defense!. The vocabulary of fans appears a lot in conversations about television and in Actividades, because watching sports is a very common activity.

Ways of talking about games and results

Usage	Explanation
Complete match	Used to talk about an entire sporting encounter between two teams.
Final result	Used to say how the game ended.
Draw	Used when both teams finish with the same score.
Victory	Used when your team wins.
Defeat	Used when your team loses.
Tournament	Used to talk about a series of matches.
Fans	Used to talk about the people who support a team.
To cheer	Used to show support with words or gestures.
Stroke of luck	Used when something goes well by chance.
Close game	Used when both teams compete with a lot of equality.

Train is to practice a sport to improve. Before playing, teams do warm-up, which includes easy running, stretching and moving the body. Also used are practice, do exercise and play a game. You can say I train with my team on Tuesdays or I’m going to play with my friends on Saturday. Join a team means starting to be part of it. In informal contexts, many people talk about watching a game, meeting up to play, or practicing an activity that can also relate to Creative Hobbies when it comes to organized leisure.

Expressions for training and practicing

Usage	Explanation
Train frequently	Used to talk about practicing many times and improving.
Do warm-up	Used to describe preparing the body before playing.
Play with friends	Used to talk about practicing informally.
Watch a game	Used when you only watch the game as a spectator.
Join a team	Used when a person starts to be part of a sports group.
Practice at home	Used to talk about doing exercises outside the club.
Rest after effort	Used to indicate that the body needs to recover.
Get in shape	Used to talk about improving physical condition.
Follow the routine	Used to refer to maintaining a training habit.
Try a sport	Used when you want to experience a new activity.

In different countries some sports words change. Court is used a lot in Latin America for the place where basketball, volleyball or tennis is played. Field is common for soccer and other outdoor sports. Track appears in athletics, cycling and some sports with marked surfaces. Names of sports and objects also change: in some places people say ball, in others they hear more ball; in some countries people say goal and in others net; basketball coexists with basquet in everyday speech. When you hear these variants, the sport remains the same, but the region changes the word.

pelotacanchafulbitopistamicrofútbolcanchearcancha de baby fútboljugar al fútbolbaby fútbolentrenador

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Se usa para nombrar el fútbol sala en conversaciones cotidianasSe usa para hablar de la superficie de juego en deportes como atletismo o tenisSe usa para hablar de la cancha donde juegan los niñosSe usa para hablar de el espacio donde se juega en muchos deportesSe usa para hablar de una forma muy común de fútbol salaSe usa como palabra general para la persona que dirige al equipoSe usa de forma coloquial para practicar o jugar por diversiónSe usa de forma muy natural para hablar de practicar fútbolSe usa mucho en la vida diaria para hablar de la bola de juego en varios deportesSe usa para referirse a un partido informal de fútbol

Regional variants of sports words

Region	Variant	Definition	Example
Spain	pista	It is used to talk about the playing surface in sports such as athletics or tennis.	En España dicen pista para ese lugar de correr.In Spain they say court for that place to run.
Mexico	cancha	It is used to talk about the space where the game is played in many sports.	En México la cancha estaba llena de niños.In Mexico the field was full of children.
Argentina	jugar al fútbol	It is used in a very natural way to talk about practicing soccer.	En Argentina muchos chicos dicen que van a jugar al fútbol.In Argentina many kids say they are going to play soccer.
Colombia	microfútbol	It is used to name futsal in everyday conversations.	En Colombia hoy toca microfútbol con los vecinos.In Colombia today it's time for futsal with the neighbors.
Chile	baby fútbol	It is used to talk about a very common form of futsal.	En Chile el baby fútbol reúne a toda la familia.In Chile the baby football brings the whole family together.
Venezuela	pelota	It is widely used in daily life to talk about the game ball in several sports.	En Venezuela la pelota apareció en medio de la sala.In Venezuela the ball appeared in the middle of the living room.
Peru	fulbito	It is used to refer to an informal soccer match.	En Perú organizamos fulbito después del almuerzo.In Peru we organize little football after lunch.
United States	entrenador	It is used as a general word for the person who leads the team.	El entrenador explicó la jugada con paciencia.The coach explained the play patiently.
Costa Rica	canchear	It is used colloquially to practice or play for fun.	Hoy vamos a canchear un rato en el barrio.Today we are going to to play for fun for a while in the neighborhood.
Uruguay	cancha de baby fútbol	It is used to talk about the field where children play.	La cancha de baby fútbol quedó lista antes del sábado.The baby soccer field was ready before Saturday.

Scramble