This means that you play football and would say juego al fútbol, but you do martial artes hago artes marciales.
Instead of hacer or jugar a and then a sport, practicar is also used followed by the name of the sport preceded by 'the'. Practico el fútbol 'I play football'.
There may also be more than one way to say that you play or do a particular sport. For example, 'to ski' is either hacer esquí or esquiar .
If you want to ask somone whether they like sports before telling them what you do, use:
¿Te gustan los deportes? 'Do you like sport?'
If you hear the reply: No me gustan 'I don't like them', it might be best to try a different conversational gambit.
But it you hear:- Me gustan or Me encantan, then go right ahead ...
Spanish sporting related phrases:-
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| to do exercise | hacer ejercicio |
| to do martial arts | hacer artes marciales |
| to climb | hacer alipinismo |
| I climb (as a hobby/sport) | Hago alipinismo |
| to cycle | hacer ciclismo |
| to play basketball | jugar al baloncesto |
| I play basketball | Juego al baloncesto |
| I play basketball | Practico el baloncesto |
| to play football | jugar al fútbol |
| I play football | Juego al fútbol |
| Do you play football? | ¿Juegas al fútbol? |
| Do you like football? | ¿Te gusta el fútbol? |
| to play rugby | jugar al rugby |
| to play tennis | jugar al tenis |
| to play a game of tennis | jugar un partido de tenis |
| to ski | hacer esquí |
| to ski | esquiar |
| I went skiing | Fui a esquiar |
| I like skiing | Me gusta el esquí |
| to swim | hacer natación |
| to swim | nadar |