If you already know greetings, travel phrases, and idioms, then it’s time to take the next step.

To connect with Spanish speakers, what could be better than being able to talk about fútbol?

(We should note that like most Spanish words, football/soccer vocabulary varies by region. So depending on where you are, you might hear different words being used.)





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Essential Spanish Soccer / Football Vocabulary for Spanish learners

General vocabulary

Árbitro: (Noun, masc.) Referee.

El árbitro pita y señala una falta.

(The referee whistles and signals a foul.)

Goleador: (Noun, masc.) Goal scorer

Lionel Messi es el goleador de Barcelona.

(Lionel Messi is the goal scorer of Barcelona.)

Delantero/Atacante: (Noun, masc.) Forward; attacker.

El delantero de Real Madrid metió un gol para empatar el juego.

(The forward of Real Madrid scored a goal to tie the game.)

Delantero central: (Noun, masc.) Center-forward, also known as a striker, because their principal role is to score goals.

El delantero central fue lastimado por una falta.

(The center-forward was hurt by a foul.)

Gol de empate: (Noun, masc.) Equalizer – a goal that ties the score.

Portugal acaba de meter el gol de empate contra los Estados Unidos en el último minuto.

(Portugal just scored an equalizer against the United States in the last minute.)

Estar en la banca: (Verb) To be on the bench.

Todos los suplentes están en la banca esperando la oportunidad de reemplazar a algún jugador.

(All the subs are on the bench waiting for the opportunity to replace a player.)

Tarjeta roja: (Noun, fem.) Red card given for serious fouls.

Le señalaron la tarjeta roja y fue expulsado del partido.

(They signaled a red card and he was expelled from the game.)

Tarjeta amarilla: (Noun, fem.) Yellow card given as a first warning.

Al delantero del Madrid le señalaron tarjeta amarilla como advertencia por cometer una falta.

(The forward of Madrid was given a yellow card as a warning for committing a foul.)

Centrar: (Verb) Center the ball.

Para meter un gol, hay que centrar bien la pelota.

(To score a goal, you have to center the ball correctly.)

Clásico: (Noun, masc.) Classic game; Derby between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona/also used in Spanish to describe any important match-up.

¡Este fin de semana es el clásico entre los dos mejores equipos de España!

(This weekend is the classic game between the two best teams in Spain!)

Tiro de esquina : (Noun, masc.) Corner kick.

El árbitro señaló un tiro de esquina.

(The goalkeeper signaled a corner kick.)

Saque inicial: (Noun, masc.) Kick-off.

Faltan cinco minutos para el saque inicial del partido.

(There are five minutes until the game kick-off.)

Defensor: (Noun, masc.) Defender.

El defensor del equipo ganador se lesionó la rodilla izquierda.

(The team defender hurt his left knee.)

Sacar la pelota de la zona defensiva: (Verb) To clear the ball from the defensive zone.

El arquero sacó la pelota de la zona defensiva.

(The goalkeeper cleared the ball from the defensive zone.)

Falta: (Noun, fem.) Foul.

A Messi le cometieron una falta muy grave que terminó en lesión.

(They committed a very serious foul against Messi that ended in injury.)

Dar un cabezazo: (Verb/Noun, masc.) To hit the ball with the head instead of the foot; to do a header.

Dio un cabezazo y metió el gol de empate.

(He did a header and scored the equalizer.)

Ganar el partido: (Verb) To win the game/match.

Colombia ganó el partido contra Costa Rica.

(Colombia won the match against Costa Rica.)

Portero/Arquero: (Noun, masc.) Goalkeeper.

El portero de Argentina es el mejor pagado de Suramérica.

(Argentina’s goalkeeper is the best paid in South America.)

Gradas/Asientos: (Noun, fem. plural/Noun masc. plural) Stands/Seats.

Los asientos del estadio están todos vendidos por el clásico del domingo.

(The stadium seats are sold out for Sunday’s classic game.)

Fuera de lugar: (Adjective/Noun) Offsides.

El árbitro no contó el gol porque estaba fuera de lugar.

(The referee didn’t count the goal because he was offsides.)

Línea de banda: (Noun, fem.) Sideline or touchline.

La pelota salió fuera de la línea de banda.

(The ball went past the sideline.)

Meter un gol: (Verb) Score a goal.

Metieron un gol en el último minuto del segundo tiempo.

(They scored a goal in the last minute of the second half.)

Partido en casa: (Noun, masc.) Home game; home match.

La selección de Chile le tocó jugar el partido en casa.

(Chile’s national team had to play a home game.)

Partido fuera de casa: (Noun, masc.) Away game; away match.

El equipo no ha ganado ningún partido fuera de casa este año.

(The team hasn’t won any away game this year.)

Partido: (Noun, masc.) Football match, soccer game.

¿Cuándo es el próximo partido de fútbol?

(When is the next soccer game?)

Empate: (Noun, masc.) Draw, tie.

El clásico quedó en empate.

(The classic game ended in a tie.)

Medio tiempo: (Noun, masc.) Half-time.

Los jugadores esperan el medio tiempo para descansar.

(The players wait for half-time to rest.)

Pasar: (Verb) To pass the ball.

Cristiano Ronaldo pasó el balón a su compañero de equipo.

(Cristiano Ronaldo passed the ball to his teammate.)

Tiro libre: (Noun, masc.) A free kick.

Messi lanzó el mejor tiro libre del partido.

(Messi launched the best free kick of the game.)

Tiempo extra: (Noun, masc.) Overtime; extra-time. Be careful, this is different from tiempo adicional!

Ya que el marcador fue 1-1, se fueron a tiempo extra.

(Since the score was 1-1, they went into overtime.)

Suplente; Reemplazo; Sustituto: (Noun, masc.) Replacement player; substitute (“Sub”).

El arquero fue lesionado, así que fue sustituido por su suplente.

(The goalkeeper was hurt, so he was substituted by a replacement player.)

Espectador; Público: (Noun. mas./fem.) Spectator; public

Los espectadores están muy ansiosos por el Mundial.

(The spectators are very anxious for the World Cup.)

Derribar: (Verb) To tackle.

La defensa derribó al delantero para evitar un gol en contra.

(The defense tackled the forward to prevent a goal against them.)

Tiempo adicional: (Noun, masc.) Additional time; injury time.

Se fueron a tiempo adicional por tantas faltas cometidas durante el partido.

(They went into additional time because so many fouls were committed during the game.)

Cancha de fútbol: (Noun, fem.) Pitch; field.

El partido fue cancelado porque la cancha de fútbol estaba en malas condiciones.

(The game was cancelled because the soccer field was in bad condition.)

Patear; Tirar: (Verb) To try and score a goal; to shoot.

El arquero pateó el balón muy fuerte y lo tiró fuera de la cancha.

(The goalkeeper kicked the ball very hard and shot it off the field.)

Lanzamiento de penaltis: (Noun, masc.) Penalty shoot-out.

El partido quedó en empate, por lo que se fueron al lanzamiento de penaltis.

(The game was tied, so they went to the penalty shoot-out.)

Saque lateral: (Noun, masc.) Throw-in.

El jugador hizo un buen saque lateral.

(The player did a good throw-in.)

Los vestidores: (Noun, masc. plural) Locker rooms; dressing rooms.

Los jugadores fueron a descansar a los vestidores.

(The players went to rest in the locker rooms.)





Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

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