Essential Portuguese Vocabulary for Games and Sports

Learning Portuguese is always exciting, but if you’re passionate about games and sports, mastering the right vocabulary can make it even more fun!

Whether you’re a fan, player, coach, or just eager to expand your language skills, knowing key Portuguese terms for sports and games will enhance your understanding and enjoyment. In this post, I’ll cover essential vocabulary to help you talk about your favorite activities! Read on.

General Sports Vocabulary

Before diving into specific sports, let’s start with some general terms that can be used across various sports and games.

Sport: Desporto
Game: Jogo
Player: Jogador
Coach: Treinador
Team: Equipo
Match/Game: Partida
Championship: Campeonato
Competition: Competição
Victory: Vitória
Defeat: Derrota
Draw: Empate
Referee: Árbitro
Fan: Adeptos

Soccer → Futebol

Soccer is the most popular sport in many Portuguese-speaking countries. Here’s some essential vocabulary:

Goal: Golo
Goalkeeper: Guarda-redes
Defender: Defesa
Midfielder: Médio
Forward: Avançado
Corner kick: Canto
Foul: Falta
Yellow card: Cartão amarelo
Red card: Cartão vermelho
Penalty kick: Penálti
Offside: Fora-de-jogo
Shot: Remate

Basketball → Basquetebol

Basketball is another popular sport. Here are some key terms:

Basket/Hoop: Cesto
Dribble: Drible
Shot: Lançamento
Rebound: Ressalto
Assist: Assistência
Block: Bloco
Court: Campo
Practice: Treino
Point: Ponto
Foul: Falta
Free throw: Lance livre
Dunk: Afundanço

Tennis → Ténis

Tennis requires a different set of vocabulary:

Racket: Raquete
Ball: Bola
Serve: Serviço
Volley: Volei
Ace: Ás
Deuce: Deuce
Break of serve: Quebra de serviço
Tiebreak: Tiebreak
Forehand: Direita
Backhand: Esquerda
Net: Rede
Doubles match: Jogo de pares

Volleyball → Voleibol

Volleyball also has its unique terms:

Net: Rede
Block: Bloco
Setter: Distribuidor
Hitter/Spiker: Atacante
Reception: Recepção
Serve: Serviço
Point: Ponto
Set: Set
Match point: Ponto de jogo
Court: Campo
Defense: Defesa
Rotation: Rotação

Gaming → Jogos de vídeo

For those who enjoy video games, here are some common terms:

Video game: Jogo de vídeo
Player: Jogador
Controller: Comando
Console: Consola
Level: Nível
Mission: Missão
Power: Poder
Skill: Habilidade
Team: Equipa
Save point: Ponto de salvamento
Character: Personagem
Boss: Chefe
Life: Vida

Board Games → Jogos de Tabuleiro

Board games are a great way to practice language skills. Here are some terms you might find useful:

Board game: Jogo de tabuleiro
Piece: Peça
Card: Carta
Dice: Dados
Board: Tabuleiro
Turn: Vez
Move: Movimento
Roll (the dice): Lançar (os dados)
Draw (a card): Tirar (uma carta)
Win: Vencer
Lose: Perder
Rule: Regra
Strategy: Estratégia

Card Games → Jogos de Cartas

Card games are another fantastic way to practice language skills and have fun. Here are some essential terms for card games in Portuguese:

Card game: Jogo de cartas
Deck: Baralho
Card: Carta
Suit: Naipe
Spades: Espadas
Hearts: Copas
Diamonds: Ouros
Clubs: Paus
Ace: Ás
King: Rei
Queen: Dama
Jack: Valete
Joker: joker
Hand: Mão
Draw (a card): Puxar (uma carta)
Discard: Descartar
Shuffle: Baralhar
Deal: Distribuir or dar
Player: Jogador
Opponent: Adversário
Round: Rodada
Score: Pontuação
Win: Vencer
Lose: Perder
Bet: Aposta
Bluff: Fazer bluff
Trick: Truque
Trump: Trunfo
Meld: Combinação

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