French Vocabulary: Sports
Learn all about French sports-related words. This includes names of sports, related terms, and phrases commonly used in sports.
balle
ball
The French word 'balle' is used to refer to any ball-like object, similar to the English 'ball'. It can be used in various contexts such as sports, play, or even to refer to the shape of an object. Just like in English, 'balle' can be used to describe the act of throwing a ball (jeter une balle), catching a ball (attraper une balle), or playing with a ball (jouer à la balle).
Example sentences with balle →but
goal
In French, 'but' is used as 'goal' in English. It is used in reference to an aim or desired result. For example, in the context of a sport like football or a personal ambition. It can also represent the object of a person's ambition or effort.
Example sentences with but →courir
to run
In French, 'courir' is the infinitive form of the verb 'to run'. It is used in contexts similar to the english usage such as to move swiftly by foot, to take part in a race, or escape from something. The specific form used can change depending on the tense and the subject of the sentence. Eg : 'Je cours' = 'I run'.
Example sentences with courir →course
race
In French, the word 'course' is commonly used to translate the English word 'race'. It is applied in situations of competitive running, cycling, or other types of sport-related races. However, it also has other meanings like 'course' in educational context or 'shopping' in everyday life which should be considered depending on the context.
Example sentences with course →formation
training
The French word 'formation' is used similarly to the English word 'training.' It is most often used in a professional or educational context to refer to the process of acquiring knowledge, skills, and competencies. For example, you might use 'formation' to talk about employee training programs ('programme de formation') or training sessions ('séances de formation').
Example sentences with formation →jeter
throw
The word 'jeter' is a French verb that translates to 'throw' in English. It is usually used in the context of throwing something physically, like a ball or an object. It can also be used metaphorically, such as 'jeter un coup d'œil' meaning to 'throw a glance' or take a quick look.
Example sentences with jeter →jeu
game
The French word for game, 'jeu', is used in many of the same ways as in English. It can refer to both sports games and board games, and even video games, which are called 'jeux vidéo'. Like English, this term can also be used metaphorically, as in 'C'est un jeu d'enfant' which means 'It's a child's game', reflecting an easy task.
Example sentences with jeu →joueur
player
The French word 'joueur' is an equivalent of 'player' in English. It is used in the same context as in English, referring to someone participating in a game or sport. For example, 'Il est un bon joueur' translates to 'He is a good player'. Note that 'joueur' is used for a male player, while 'joueuse' is the term for a female player.
Example sentences with joueur →lutte
fight
The term 'lutte' translates to 'fight' in English and is used broadly equivalent to 'fight' in English. It can be used to describe a physical confrontation between two people, a struggle or a battle. For instance, in a sentence, 'Il a rejoint la lutte contre le cancer', translates to 'He joined the fight against cancer'. It illustrates how 'lutte' can be used to represent a fight or struggle.
Example sentences with lutte →nager
to swim
The French verb 'nager' is used to express the action of swimming. 'Nager' is a regular '-er' verb and its conjugation follows the typical '-er' verb conjugation pattern. For instance, 'Je nage' means 'I swim' and 'Nous nagions' means 'We were swimming'.
Example sentences with nager →partenaire
partner
The term 'partenaire' is used to refer to a partner. It can mean a romantic partner, business partner or even an activity partner.
Example sentences with partenaire →perdre
lose
The French word 'perdre' is a verb that translates to 'lose' in English. It is utilized mainly to denote the act of misplacing something or failing to win in a competition. Apart from its primary implication, it could also imply losing track or getting lost. For instance, 'J'ai perdu mon stylo' would mean 'I lost my pen' and 'J'ai perdu la course' would mean 'I lost the race'.
Example sentences with perdre →sauter
to jump
The word 'sauter' is a regular French verb that means 'to jump'. It can be used in a variety of contexts, such as 'Il aime sauter' (He likes to jump), or 'Nous allons sauter' (We are going to jump). It operates the same as its English counterpart and is used in a variety of physical and sports-related contexts.
Example sentences with sauter →sport
sport
In French, 'sport' is used basically the same as in English, referring to various forms of competitive physical activities. It may refer to individual activities, like tennis or golf, or team activities like football or rugby. Often, it is used in general and abstract contexts, such as when talking about the importance of sport in society, but it may also refer to specific sports when the context makes it clear which one is discussed.
Example sentences with sport →tir
shot
The word 'tir' in French translates to 'shot' in English. It is used similarly to English, often in contexts relating to sports such as a 'tir au but' in football meaning a 'shot on goal'. Also, 'tir' can refer to a shot of drink or a gunshot. However, it's essential to understand the context to use this word aptly.
Example sentences with tir →