Inklingo

How to Say "referee" in Spanish

English → Spanish

árbitro

nounB1sports
Use 'árbitro' when referring to the official who enforces the rules in a sports match or competition.

Examples

El árbitro pitó una falta al minuto de empezar el partido.

The referee blew for a foul one minute into the game.

juez

/hwehs//xweθ/ (Spain) or /xwɛs/ (Americas)

nounB1sports (less common)
While less common for sports than 'árbitro', 'juez' can sometimes be used for officials in certain sports like figure skating or gymnastics, where scores are awarded.
A person in everyday clothes sitting at a table, holding a clipboard and a pen, intently watching an unseen event to score it, representing a competition judge.

Examples

Los jueces de patinaje le dieron una puntuación perfecta.

The skating judges gave him a perfect score.

Faltó un juez y la competencia se retrasó.

One judge was missing and the competition was delayed.

Using the Plural

To talk about more than one judge, you just add '-ces' to the end: 'jueces'. The stress stays on the 'e'.

referencia

reh-feh-REHN-syah/refeˈrenθja/

nounB2general
Use 'referencia' when talking about a person who provides a recommendation or testimonial, typically for a job or academic application.
A distinguished mentor figure confidently handing a tightly rolled parchment scroll, symbolizing a recommendation letter, to a younger, professional figure.

Examples

Necesitas tres referencias personales para el puesto de trabajo.

You need three personal references for the job position.

Mi antiguo jefe me dio una excelente referencia.

My old boss gave me an excellent reference.

Por favor, incluya el nombre y contacto de su referencia laboral.

Please include the name and contact information of your employment reference.

The Verb 'Dar'

In this specific context (job applications), the verb used is usually 'dar' (to give): 'dar una referencia' means to provide a recommendation.

Sports Official vs. Recommendation

The most common mistake is using 'referencia' for a sports official. Remember that 'árbitro' is the standard term for a sports referee, while 'referencia' means someone who vouches for you, like for a job.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.