Inklingo

deportes

deh-POHR-tesdeˈpoɾtes

deportes means sports in Spanish (general term for athletic activities).

sports, physical activities

Also: games
NounmA1
A high quality storybook illustration showing three pieces of sports equipment resting on a grassy field: a basketball, a black and white soccer ball, and a tennis racket with a tennis ball.

📝 In Action

Me gustan mucho los **deportes** acuáticos.

A1

I really like water sports.

¿Qué **deportes** practicas en tu tiempo libre?

A2

What sports do you practice in your free time?

La ciudad invierte mucho en infraestructuras para los **deportes** de invierno.

B1

The city invests a lot in infrastructure for winter sports.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • actividades físicas (physical activities)

Common Collocations

  • practicar deportesto play/practice sports
  • hacer deportesto do sports
  • fanático de los deportessports fanatic

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "deportes" in Spanish:

gamesphysical activitiessports

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: deportes

Question 1 of 1

Which Spanish phrase correctly asks 'Do you like sports?'

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology

The word comes from the Old French *desport*, meaning 'amusement' or 'pastime.' This original sense of taking time away from work or daily duties for pleasure eventually narrowed down to physical games and activities in both Spanish and English.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: sportFrench: déport

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is 'deportes' a masculine word?

Its singular form, *el deporte*, is masculine. Spanish nouns keep their gender even when plural, so *deportes* is always used with the masculine plural article *los*.

Should I use 'practicar' or 'jugar' with 'deportes'?

Use *practicar* (to practice/do) when talking about doing sports generally (e.g., 'Me gusta practicar deportes'). Use *jugar* (to play) only when referring to specific ball games (e.g., 'Jugar al fútbol').