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Sports in Italian: 45 Essential Vocabulary Words for Athletes and Fans [with Audio]
Whether it’s thousands of people chanting in a stadium or a dozen in a restaurant, there’s no denying that Italians are hugely passionate about sports.
Along with football, Italians enjoy tennis, cycling, basketball and rugby… just to name a few.
If you’re a fan, you can follow along with your favorite sport or team by learning some Italian sports vocabulary!
In this post, you’ll learn 45 sports in Italian, plus some common questions and responses about sports you can use in casual conversations.
Contents
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
Popular Sports in Italian
1. Atletica leggera — Athletics/Track and field
2. Calcio — Soccer/Football
3. Pallacanestro — Basketball
4. Tennis — Tennis
5. Pallavolo — Volleyball
6. Nuoto — Swimming
7. Ginnastica — Gymnastics
8. Ciclismo — Cycling
9. Sci — Skiing
10. Hockey su ghiaccio — Ice hockey
11. Pugilato — Boxing
12. Pallamano — Handball
13. Golf — Golf
14. Rugby — Rugby
15. Pattinaggio artistico — Figure skating
16. Pattinaggio su rotelle — Roller skating
17. Pattinaggio di velocità — Speed skating
18. Equitazione — Horseback riding
19. Canottaggio — Rowing
20. Pallanuoto — Water polo
21. Scherma — Fencing
22. Alpinismo — Mountaineering
23. Arti marziali — Martial arts
24. Sollevamento pesi — Weightlifting
25. Badminton — Badminton
26. Canoa — Canoeing
27. Triathlon — Triathlon
28. Baseball — Baseball
29. Softball — Softball
30. Surf — Surfing
31. Arrampicata — Rock Climbing
32. Acrobatica aerea — Aerial acrobatics
33. Motocross — Motocross
34. Curling — Curling
35. Tiro con l’arco — Archery
36. Kayak — Kayaking
37. Vela — Sailing
38. Tuffi — Diving
39. Arrampicata sportiva — Sport climbing
40. Salto in alto — High jump
41. Salto in lungo — Long jump
42. Tiro a segno — Shooting
43. Freccette — Darts
44. Automobilismo — Auto racing
45. Motociclismo — Motorcycle racing
Talking about Sports in Italian
Here are some basic questions and example responses related to sports. You may need to review your Italian grammar and pronunciation, and then study these examples to be fully prepared to talk about sports with any Italian speaker.
Qual è il tuo sport preferito? (What’s your favorite sport?)
“Il mio sport preferito è il calcio.” (My favorite sport is soccer.)
Giochi a qualche sport? (Do you play any sports?)
“Sì, gioco a tennis.” (Yes, I play tennis.)
“No, non pratico nessuno sport.” (No, I don’t play any sports.)
Che sport ti piace guardare? (What sport do you like to watch?)
“Mi piace guardare il basket.” (I like to watch basketball.)
Qual è la tua squadra preferita? (What’s your favorite team?)
“La mia squadra preferita è il Real Madrid.” (My favorite team is Real Madrid.)
Quando hai iniziato a giocare a questo sport? (When did you start playing this sport?)
“Ho iniziato a giocare a calcio quando avevo 6 anni.” (I started playing soccer when I was 6 years old.)
Hai mai partecipato a una competizione sportiva? (Have you ever participated in a sports competition?)
“Sì, ho partecipato a una competizione di nuoto l’anno scorso.” (Yes, I participated in a swimming competition last year.)
“No, non l’ho mai fatto.” (No, I never have.)
Quali sono i tuoi atleti preferiti? (Who are your favorite athletes?)
“I miei atleti preferiti sono Roger Federer e Serena Williams.” (My favorite athletes are Roger Federer and Serena Williams.)
Che tipo di attrezzatura sportiva hai? (What kind of sports equipment do you have?)
“Ho una racchetta da tennis e un pallone da calcio.” (I have a tennis racket and a soccer ball.)
Hai mai assistito a una partita dal vivo? (Have you ever attended a live game?)
“Sì, ho assistito a una partita di calcio dal vivo lo scorso anno.” (Yes, I attended a live soccer game last year.)
“No, ma lo vorrei.” (No, but I’d like to.)
Qual è il tuo momento sportivo più memorabile? (What’s your most memorable sports moment?)
“Il mio momento sportivo più memorabile è stato quando ho segnato il gol della vittoria in una finale.” (My most memorable sports moment was when I scored the winning goal in a final.)
If you’re a big sports fan, or just want to participate in the many conversations about sports, now you have the vocabulary to do so!
Practice these Italian words and phrases and you’ll soon be using them to bond with others over the universal love of sports.
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
