El mundo entero está viendo los Juegos Olímpicos de Verano en Tokio en este momento (The entire world is watching the Summer Olympics in Tokyo at the moment). Even though the Games are very different this year due to COVID-restrictions and the lack of fans in attendance, people all over the globe are still tuning in. In this post I thought I’d teach some Spanish vocabulary for the Summer Olympics, starting with the events.

Image by Please Don’t sell My Artwork AS IS from Pixabay

Los eventos de los Juegos Olímpicos de verano

• atletismo = athletics
• bádminton = badminton
• baloncesto = basketball
• balonmano = handball
• béisbol = baseball
  • sóftbol = softball
• ciclismo = cycling
  • ciclismo BMX = BMX cycling
  • ciclismo de montaña = mountain biking
  • ciclismo en pista = track cycling
  • ciclismo en ruta = road cycling
• deportes acuáticos = water sports
  • natación = swimming
  • natación sincronizada = synchronized swimming
  • saltos = diving
  • waterpolo = water polo
• deportes de combate = combat sports
  • boxeo = boxing
  • esgrima = fencing
  • judo = judo
  • karate = karate
  • lucha grecorromana = Greco-Roman wrestling
  • lucha libre = freestyle wrestling
  • taekwondo = taekwondo
• deportes de disparo = shooting sports
  • tiro con arco = archery
  • tiro olímpico = Olympic shooting
• equitación = equestrian
  • concurso completo = eventing
  • doma clásica = dressage
  • salto ecuestre = jumping
• escalada deportiva = sport climbing
• fútbol = soccer
• gimnasia = gymnastics
  • gimnasia artística = artistic gymnastics
  • gimnasia rítmica = rhythmic gymnastics
  • gimnasia acrobática = acrobatic gymnastics
• golf = golf
• halterofilia = weightlifting
• hockey sobre césped = field hockey
• piragüismo = canoeing
  • eslalon = slalom
  • aguas tranquilas = sprint
• pentatlón moderno = modern pentathlon
• remo = rowing
• rugby = rugby
• monopatinaje = skateboarding
• surf = surfing
• tenis = tennis
• tenis de mesa = table tennis
• triatlón = triathlon
• vela = sailing
•  voleibol = volleyball
  • voleibol de playa = beach volleyball

Image by Gerhard G. from Pixabay

Other Vocabulary

In addition to the events, you’ll want to know some other important words for talking about the Olympics in Spanish. Here’s a vocabulary list with 15 of them:

• el/la atleta = athlete
• el entrenador/la entrenadora = coach
• la antorcha = torch
• la competencia = competition
• perder = to lose
• ganar = to win
• calentar = to warm-up
• la ceremonia de apertura = opening ceremony
• el campeón/la campeona = champion
• la medalla de oro = gold medal
• la medalla de plata = silver medal
• la medalla de bronce = bronze medal
• el gimnasio = gymnasium
• campo y pista = track and field
• espíritu deportivo = sportsmanship

Practice Questions

Now that you have the vocabulary for the Summer Olympic events, try answering a few questions in Spanish to practice talking about them:

¿Cuáles son tus eventos olímpicos favoritos?
What are your favorite Olympic events?

¿Qué eventos olímpicos verás este año?
What Olympic events will you watch this year?

¿Puedes practicar algún deporte olímpico? ¿Cuáles?
Can you play any Olympic sports? Which ones?

¿Quién es tu atleta olímpico favorito? ¿Por qué?
Who is your favorite Olympic athlete? Why?

¿Qué país ganará más medallas de oro?
Which country will win the most gold medals?

¿Has estado en los Juegos Olímpicos de Verano?
Have you been to the Summer Olympics?

¿Quieres ir a los próximos Juegos Olímpicos de Verano?
Do you want to go to the next Summer Olympics?

If you’ve got a friend or a language partner you can practice with, take turns asking each other these questions. Put that Spanish Summer Olympics vocabulary you learned in this post to good use! Wherever you are, I hope you’re enjoying watching the Summer Olympics this year.