A comprehensive list of common Spanish sports action vocabulary spanning different sports and contexts.
Sports action words are essential for describing what athletes do during a game, practice, or workout. This guide covers common verbs and phrases used across a variety of sports, from soccer and basketball to tennis and general fitness. Whether you’re watching a match or joining a game, these words will help you follow and participate with confidence.
Soccer (Fútbol)
Soccer is the most popular sport in the Spanish-speaking world, and these action words are key to understanding and describing the game.
| Spanish Verb | English Verb | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| patear | to kick | El jugador va a patear el balón. | The player is going to kick the ball. |
| pasar | to pass | Pasa el balón a su compañero. | Pass the ball to your teammate. |
| driblar | to dribble | Ella puede driblar a dos defensas. | She can dribble past two defenders. |
| cabecear | to head | El delantero cabeceó el balón al gol. | The forward headed the ball into the goal. |
| interceptar | to intercept | El defensa interceptó el pase. | The defender intercepted the pass. |
| tirar | to shoot | Tiró al arco y anotó un gol. | He shot at the goal and scored. |
| regatear | to juggle/feint | Regateó al rival con una finta. | He feinted past the opponent. |
| controlar | to control | Controla el balón con el pecho. | Control the ball with your chest. |
| bloquear | to block | El portero bloqueó el disparo. | The goalkeeper blocked the shot. |
| marcar | to mark | Siempre marca al jugador más rápido. | He always marks the fastest player. |
Basketball (Baloncesto)
These action words will help you describe common basketball moves and plays.
| Spanish Verb | English Verb | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| driblar | to dribble | Aprende a driblar con la mano derecha. | Learn to dribble with your right hand. |
| encestar | to score | Logró encestar desde el triple. | He managed to score a three-pointer. |
| pasar | to pass | Pasa la pelota a la esquina. | Pass the ball to the corner. |
| rebotar | to rebound | Saltó y rebotó el balón. | He jumped and rebounded the ball. |
| bloquear | to block | Bloqueó el tiro con una mano. | He blocked the shot with one hand. |
| lanzar | to shoot | Lanzó rápido antes de la defensa. | He shot quickly before the defense. |
| driblar | to bounce/dribble | Dribla hasta la canasta. | Dribble all the way to the basket. |
| saltar | to jump | Saltó para alcanzar la pelota. | He jumped to reach the ball. |
| pasar | to pass | Siempre pasa al jugador abierto. | He always passes to the open player. |
| interceptar | to steal | Interceptó el pase en el último segundo. | He stole the pass at the last second. |
Tennis (Tenis)
Tennis has its own set of unique actions. Here are the most common verbs you need to know.
| Spanish Verb | English Verb | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| golpear | to hit | Golpeó la pelota con fuerza. | He hit the ball forcefully. |
| servir | to serve | Sirvió con mucho efecto. | He served with a lot of spin. |
| devolver | to return | Devolvió el saque rápido. | She quickly returned the serve. |
| volear | to volley | Voleó cerca de la red. | She volleyed near the net. |
| romper | to break (serve) | Rompió el saque del rival. | She broke the opponent’s serve. |
| sacar | to serve | Sacó desde el fondo de la pista. | He served from the back of the court. |
| deslizarse | to slide | Se deslizó para alcanzar la pelota. | He slid to reach the ball. |
| golpear | to strike | Golpeó con la raqueta alta. | He struck with a high racket. |
| levantar | to lift | Levantó la pelota con un globo. | She lifted the ball with a lob. |
| atacar | to attack | Atacó la red con un voleón. | He attacked the net with a big volley. |
General Fitness (Ejercicio General)
These verbs are useful for describing common actions in workouts, gym sessions, and general physical activity.
| Spanish Verb | English Verb | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| entrenar | to train | Entreno todos los días por la mañana. | I train every morning. |
| calentar | to warm up | Siempre caliento antes de correr. | I always warm up before running. |
| estirar | to stretch | Estira las piernas después del ejercicio. | Stretch your legs after working out. |
| levantar | to lift | Levanto pesas en el gimnasio. | I lift weights at the gym. |
| sudar | to sweat | Empiezo a sudar después de 10 minutos. | I start to sweat after 10 minutes. |
| descansar | to rest | Descansa entre series. | Rest between sets. |
| repetir | to repeat | Repite el ejercicio 15 veces. | Repeat the exercise 15 times. |
| respirar | to breathe | Respira profundamente durante el esfuerzo. | Breathe deeply during exertion. |
| ejercitar | to exercise | Ejercito los músculos del brazo. | I exercise the arm muscles. |
| acelerar | to speed up | Acelera el ritmo en los últimos segundos. | Speed up the pace in the last seconds. |
These sections cover a wide range of common sports actions in Spanish, from specific moves in popular sports to general fitness activities. This vocabulary will help you understand instructions, describe plays, and participate in conversations about sports.
Flashcards (1 of 40)
- English Verb: to kick
- English Example: The player is going to kick the ball.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
