French Sports Vocabulary: Words You Should Know

Modified on August 12, 2026 Reviewed by: Vibha Goyal, French Language Expert

Sports is something that brings people across the globe together. Sports like Tennis, Football and Tour de France are played at the highest level in France. It is therefore better to understand the language or know the sport in the French language.

Once you start building french vocabulary, you will be confident to start conversations in French.You get the option to talk to native speakers about the sport. Also you can experience the joy of listening to French commentary and understanding it. In this article, you will learn essential French sports vocabulary.

You will not only build a sports vocabulary list, learn french verbs but also use the verb ‘faire’ correctly. Also, you can learn the name of famous athletes, the name of the equipment used in various sports, and the different expressions used in real life conversations.

French people love sports, especially football, which is a revered sport among the common people. If you learn football and rugby to le tennis, le cyclisme, and le basket, you can improve everyday conversations in France. If you want to master the French words and vocabularies, you may enroll yourself for dedicated classes at La Forêt French Class.

Popular Sports in French

People across the world love different kinds of sports. Whether it is a team sport or involves une équipe or involves a single player, knowing the sport name in French will help in real conversations. And even if you like watching or you want to play football, a soccer game, tennis or even watch a football match, you are still connected to sport. It will always be beneficial to you to learn various sports vocabulary.

Learning all the names of sports can be challenging. As you know, in French almost everything has gender, so even French sports use it. While many use the masculine form, such as le football, le tennis, and le rugby. However, some sports are feminine, including la natation and la gymnastique. If you want to learn more French and have a structured, guided class, you can join La Forêt French Class. Let’s introduce you to these French sports terms in the table below with the English words for the same:

French	English
Le football (le foot)	Football (Soccer)
Le football américain	American football
Le rugby	Rugby
Le tennis	Tennis
Le basket (le basketball)	Basketball
Le baseball	Baseball
Le hockey	Hockey
Le hockey sur glace	Ice hockey
Le badminton	Badminton
Le tennis de table	Table tennis
Le golf	Golf
Le cyclisme	Cycling
La natation	Swimming
L’athlétisme	Athletics (Track and field)
La gymnastique	Gymnastics
Le ski	Skiing
Le snowboard	Snowboarding
Le patinage artistique	Figure skating
Le patinage de vitesse	Speed skating
La plongée	Diving / Scuba diving
L’aviron	Rowing
Le canoë-kayak	Canoeing and kayaking
La voile	Sailing
Le triathlon	Triathlon
Le marathon	Marathon
La course à pied	Running
Le cross-country	Cross-country running
L’escalade	Rock climbing
La randonnée	Hiking
L’équitation	Horseback riding
Le judo	Judo
Le karaté	Karate
Le taekwondo	Taekwondo
La boxe	Boxing
L’escrime	Fencing
La lutte	Wrestling
Le tir à l’arc	Archery
Le tir sportif	Sport shooting
Le billard	Billiards
Les fléchettes	Darts
Les échecs	Chess
Le skateboard	Skateboarding
Le motocross	Motocross
La formule 1	Formula One
Le sport automobile	Motor racing

Sports Without Ball in French

There are many sports that do not require a ball, however still bring out the physical attributes in an athlete. Some sports just need endurance, speed, balance, technique, or precision.
Some of these endurance sports are good to learn, maybe for fitness or recreation. This also helps you to develop hobbies and you can discuss this with others.

France is famous for cycling through the Tour de France and we also see Olympic events for cycling. Ice skates is one more sport that French people like doing. If you attend a local match or an international sporting event, these words will help you understand conversations more easily.

French Sport	English	Example Sentence	English Translation
La natation	Swimming	Je fais de la natation tous les samedis.	I go swimming every Saturday.
Le cyclisme	Cycling	Mon frère fait du cyclisme.	My brother cycles.
L’athlétisme	Athletics	Elle pratique l’athlétisme depuis cinq ans.	She has practised athletics for five years.
La gymnastique	Gymnastics	Ma sœur adore la gymnastique.	My sister loves gymnastics.
Le ski	Skiing	Nous faisons du ski en hiver.	We go skiing in winter.
Le snowboard	Snowboarding	Ils aiment faire du snowboard.	They enjoy snowboarding.
La plongée	Diving / Scuba diving	Je fais de la plongée pendant les vacances.	I go diving during the holidays.
La randonnée	Hiking	Nous faisons de la randonnée le week-end.	We go hiking on weekends.
L’escalade	Rock climbing	Il fait de l’escalade avec ses amis.	He goes rock climbing with his friends.
L’équitation	Horseback riding	Elle fait de l’équitation depuis son enfance.	She has ridden horses since childhood.
Le patinage artistique	Figure skating	Elle rêve de devenir championne.	She dreams of becoming a champion.
Le marathon	Marathon running	Il prépare son premier marathon.	He is preparing for his first marathon.

Ball Sports in French

Ball sports are the most watched in France. Football is undoubtedly the most played and most watched sport in France and is a part of their daily life. France have won the Fifa World cup twice and twice they have been runner-up. While football is undoubtably the most popular sport in France, Tennis also attracts millions of fans during the annual Roland-Garos tournament.

The name of the tournament was inspired from the Paris stadium where it is held. The venue was built in 1928 and named after Roland Garros, a pioneering French aviator and World War I hero.

You can learn the words and phrases that will help you follow matches and join conversations with French speakers.

French Sport	English	Example Sentence	English Translation
Le football (le foot)	Football (Soccer)	Je joue au foot chaque dimanche.	I play football every Sunday.
Le football américain	American football	Ils regardent le football américain à la télévision.	They watch American football on television.
Le rugby	Rugby	Mon cousin joue au rugby.	My cousin plays rugby.
Le tennis	Tennis	Elle joue au tennis après l’école.	She plays tennis after school.
Le basket (le basketball)	Basketball	Nous jouons au basket tous les vendredis.	We play basketball every Friday.
Le handball	Handball	Mon ami joue au handball.	My friend plays handball.
Le volleyball	Volleyball	Ils jouent au volleyball sur la plage.	They play volleyball on the beach.
Le baseball	Baseball	Il joue au baseball avec son équipe.	He plays baseball with his team.
Le cricket	Cricket	Le cricket est populaire en Inde.	Cricket is popular in India.
Le hockey	Hockey	Ils jouent au hockey après les cours.	They play hockey after school.
Le hockey sur glace	Ice hockey	Elle aime regarder le hockey sur glace.	She enjoys watching ice hockey.
Le golf	Golf	Mon père joue au golf le samedi.	My father plays golf on Saturdays.
Le tennis de table	Table tennis	Nous jouons au tennis de table après le dîner.	We play table tennis after dinner.
Le billard	Billiards	Ils jouent au billard le soir.	They play billiards in the evening.

Combat Sports in French

Combat sports teaches discipline, confidence and self defense. Combat sports are popular among young children as well as adults. In most clubs of France they offer training in boxing, judo, karate, fencing, and other martial arts. As these are all present in Olympic games and we can often see French athletes perform well.

French Sport	English	Example Sentence in French	English Translation
La boxe	Boxing	Je fais de la boxe.	I practise boxing.
Le judo	Judo	Elle adore le judo.	She loves judo.
Le karaté	Karate	Mon frère fait du karaté.	My brother practises karate.
Le taekwondo	Taekwondo	Nous faisons du taekwondo chaque semaine.	We practise taekwondo every week.
L’escrime	Fencing	Elle pratique l’escrime depuis cinq ans.	She has practised fencing for five years.
La lutte	Wrestling	Il fait de la lutte au lycée.	He wrestles at school.
Le kick-boxing	Kickboxing	Je commence le kick-boxing cette année.	I am starting kickboxing this year.
Le jiu-jitsu	Jiu-jitsu	Ils font du jiu-jitsu ensemble.	They practise jiu-jitsu together.

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Water Sports in French

As France is surrounded by many water bodies like the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and the English Channel it gives the opportunity for the French to be part of many water sports.
Also there are several rivers and lakes present across France. Learning all about the French names of water sports will allow you to discuss a lot of hobbies and fun activities.

French Sport	English	Example Sentence in French	English Translation
La voile	Sailing	Nous faisons de la voile en été.	We go sailing in summer.
La plongée	Diving / Scuba diving	Je fais de la plongée pendant les vacances.	I go diving during the holidays.
Le surf	Surfing	Mon frère fait du surf sur la côte atlantique.	My brother goes surfing on the Atlantic coast.
Le ski nautique	Water skiing	Elle fait du ski nautique avec ses amis.	She goes water skiing with her friends.
Le canoë	Canoeing	Ils font du canoë sur la rivière.	They go canoeing on the river.
Le kayak	Kayaking	Nous faisons du kayak chaque été.	We go kayaking every summer.
L’aviron	Rowing	Elle pratique l’aviron depuis deux ans.	She has practised rowing for two years.
La natation	Swimming	Je fais de la natation trois fois par semaine.	I go swimming three times a week.

Winter Sports in France

The Alps and the Pyrenees are some of the most iconic peaks of Western Europe. These magnificent spots make it an ideal place for winter sports. Every year thousands of people visit these places as they are famous ski resorts to enjoy snowy mountains and outdoor adventures.
French people cherish winter sports. The most common are skiing and snowboarding and also figure skating and sledging. You can learn more about these french words and phrases and improve your vocabulary and conversation skills regarding winter sports .

French Sport	English	Example Sentence in French	English Translation
Le ski	Skiing	Nous faisons du ski chaque hiver.	We go skiing every winter.
Le snowboard	Snowboarding	Mon ami adore le snowboard.	My friend loves snowboarding.
Le patinage artistique	Figure skating	Elle pratique le patinage artistique.	She practises figure skating.
La luge	Sledging	Les enfants font de la luge.	The children go sledging.
Le hockey sur glace	Ice hockey	Ils jouent au hockey sur glace.	They play ice hockey.
Le patinage de vitesse	Speed skating	Il fait du patinage de vitesse.	He does speed skating.

Individual Sports in French

Individual sports focus on a single player. Instead of an entire team, the results depend on a single player rather than a team effort. This improves concentration, fitness and personal skills. Many people enjoy individual sport as they can have flexibility of time. They can practice the sport at their own pace.

French Sport	English	Example Sentence in French	English Translation
Le golf	Golf	Mon père joue au golf le week-end.	My father plays golf on the weekend.
Le yoga	Yoga	Je fais du yoga tous les matins.	I do yoga every morning.
La danse	Dancing	Elle fait de la danse depuis son enfance.	She has danced since childhood.
La randonnée	Hiking	Nous faisons de la randonnée en montagne.	We go hiking in the mountains.
Le jogging	Jogging	Il fait du jogging chaque soir.	He goes jogging every evening.
Le cyclisme	Cycling	Je fais du cyclisme avec mes amis.	I go cycling with my friends.

Sports Equipment in French

Sports is such a wonder that it unites millions of people. We often encounter situations in sports events where a player or a team has won a game and we feel like congratulating people.

For example in a Roland Garros tournament, if you want to congratulate someone for winning you can tell him “congratulations”, or maybe you would want to congratulate your French colleagues for their country winning the football world cup.

If you’d like to express your congratulations like a native speaker, explore our guide on the Top 7 Ways to Say Congratulations in French. Whether you want to buy a racket or a ball, it’s better to know the French equivalent for the same.

French Equipment	English	Example Sentence in French	English Translation
La raquette	Racket	J’ai une nouvelle raquette de tennis.	I have a new tennis racket.
Le ballon	Ball	Le ballon est sur le terrain.	The ball is on the field.
Le casque	Helmet	Porte toujours un casque à vélo.	Always wear a helmet when cycling.
Les gants	Gloves	Il porte des gants de boxe.	He is wearing boxing gloves.
Les chaussures de sport	Sports shoes	Mes chaussures de sport sont très confortables.	My sports shoes are very comfortable.
Le filet	Net	Le ballon touche le filet.	The ball touches the net.
Les protège-tibias	Shin guards	Les footballeurs portent des protège-tibias.	Football players wear shin guards.
Le maillot	Jersey	Elle porte le maillot de son équipe.	She is wearing her team’s jersey.

Sports Staff and Fans in French

Any sport is comprised of multiple staffs apart from the players. In any typical sport you will find coaches, referees, supporters, and spectators, physio. All of them play an important role in every match or competition. For example, in basketball, many people consider Nikola Jokić to be the best basketball player in the world today.

The Denver Nuggets centre and multiple NBA Most Valuable Player is the star on the court. Every successful team relies on relies on a coach, a manager, referees, teammates, and dedicated fans. Even the cheerleaders and millions of supporters watching the sport in their television all play a vital role.

French Word	English	Example Sentence in French	English Translation
Le joueur / La joueuse	Player	Le joueur marque un but.	The player scores a goal.
L’arbitre	Referee	L’arbitre siffle la fin du match.	The referee blows the final whistle.
L’entraîneur	Coach	L’entraîneur motive son équipe.	The coach motivates the team.
Le spectateur	Spectator	Les spectateurs applaudissent.	The spectators applaud.
Le supporter	Supporter / Fan	Les supporters chantent pendant le match.	The supporters sing during the match.
Le champion	Champion	Il est devenu champion de France.	He became the French champion.
L’équipe	Team	Notre équipe joue très bien.	Our team plays very well.

Sports Verbs in French

When you want to describe any sport in French, you will require action verbs. It will help you describe your action of playing. If you want to mention your practice, or you want to describe your play you can use verbs.

The most common French verbs that are used while describing French sports are courir, nager, sauter, and gagner. It’s essential to learn the correct French verb in order to describe your sport.

French Verb	English	Example Sentence in French	English Translation
Jouer	To play	Je joue au tennis.	I play tennis.
Faire	To do / Practise	Nous faisons du rugby.	We play rugby.
Courir	To run	Elle court tous les matins.	She runs every morning.
Nager	To swim	Je nage dans la piscine.	I swim in the swimming pool.
Sauter	To jump	Le sportif saute très haut.	The athlete jumps very high.
Gagner	To win	Nous gagnons le match.	We win the match.
Perdre	To lose	Ils ont perdu la finale.	They lost the final.
Marquer	To score	Il marque un but.	He scores a goal.

Summary

If you are on a journey of learning French, then learning French sports is the practical way to learn French while also learning French culture. You can easily make real life conversations like a French native, and talk about your hobbies and favourite sports.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What sport is popular in France?

Ans: As France won the football world cup twice, football is the most cherished and liked sport in France. This is followed by rugby, tennis, cycling, handball, and judo. Major sport events such as the Tour de France and the French Open at Roland-Garros attract millions every year. If you want to know more about French sports and master the French words and vocabularies, you may enroll yourself for dedicated classes at La Forêt French Class.

Q: How do you say different types of sports in French?

Ans: Sports in French use either masculine or feminine nouns. For example, le football means football, le tennis means tennis, la natation means swimming), le cyclisme indicates cycling, and le ski means skiing. Some common sports have English origins, such as le handball.

To talk about sports, use jouer à / jouer au for ball games (jouer au football – play soccer, jouer au tennis) and faire de / du / de la for most other activities (faire du sport, faire de la natation, faire du vélo tout terrain, faire de la planche à voile). You can also say Tu fais du sport ? to ask, “Do you play sports?” During un match, you may hear words like une handballeuse (a female handball player) or un handballeur.

Learning these expressions makes it easier to discuss sports naturally in French conversations.To improve your vocabulary on various other topics you can go through Vocabulary blog category page.