No matter whether you call it football or soccer, there’s no denying that association football is one of the most popular sports in the world. In fact, with an estimated 250 million active players in over 200 countries, it might just be the most popular sport around the globe. That means, no matter where you go, you’re likely to come across a footie fan or two. So, why not make sure you’ve got something to talk about?
If you’re looking to make a friend when you’re speaking a new language, it’s always good to start on common ground. That’s why we’ve added some ultra-specific topics to the uTalk app – things like Skiing, Sailing, and Football Commentary. These topics give you specialised vocabulary and phrases that should make breaking the ice that bit easier.
The most popular sport in the world, football is enjoyed by people of all cultures and languages. Even if they don’t enjoy it, the people you meet will probably have an opinion on it! It makes sense, then, to learn a few words and phrases that might come in handy, right?
We’ve taken some vocabulary from our Football Commentary and Football Match Abroad topics and arranged them so you can get started in just about any football conversation. There are even some phrases that you’ll find useful if you happen to visit a match in a country where the language you’re learning is spoken. Don’t forget – if you download our app, you’ll also get all the audio that goes along with these!
Start with the basics
Let’s get started. There are a few terms that are probably useful to know off the bat:
| English | team | ball | goal | pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arabic (Gulf) | (fariq) فريق | كرة (kora) | مرمى (marma) | تمرير (tamrir) |
| Arabic (Moroccan) | الفرقة (lferqa) | الكرة (lkoura) | المرمى (lmarma) | الپّاسّ (lpasse) |
| Croatian | momčad | lopta | gol | dodavanje |
| Danish | et hold | en bold | et mål | en aflevering |
| Dutch | het team | de bal | het doel | de pass |
| French | l'équipe | le ballon | le but | la passe |
| French (Canadian) | l'équipe | le ballon | le but | la passe |
| German | die Mannschaft | der Fußball | das Tor | der Pass |
| German (Swiss) | d'Mannschaft | dr Bau | ds Gou | dr Pass |
| Japanese | チーム (chīmu) | ボール (bōru) | ゴール (gōru) | パス (pasu) |
| Korean | 팀 (tim) | 공 (gong) | 골대 (goldae) | 패스 (paeseu) |
| Persian | تیم (tim) | توپ (tup) | دروازه (darvāze) | پاس (pās) |
| Polish | drużyna | piłka | gol | podanie |
| Portuguese (Brazilian) | o time | a bola | o gol | o passe |
| Portuguese (European) | a equipa | a bola | a baliza | o passe |
| Serbian | тим (tim) | лопта (lopta) | гол (gol) | додавање (dodavanje) |
| Spanish (Argentinian) | el equipo | la pelota | el arco | el pase |
| Spanish (European) | el equipo | el balón | la portería | el pase |
| Spanish (Latin American) | el equipo | la pelota | el arco | el pase |
| Welsh | tîm | pêl | ceg y gôl | pas |
What about the people?
There are certain people you might want to talk about when you’re discussing a match. The referee is an important one, but you can also mention the players, goalkeeper, and fans watching at their home ground or away at the other team’s.
| English | player | goalkeeper | referee | home fans | away fans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arabic (Gulf) | اعب (laeb) | حارس مرمى (haris marma) | حكم (hakam) | جماهير (jamahir) | جماهير مدعوين (jamahir madewin) |
| Arabic (Moroccan) | اللّعّاب (louaab) | الڭول (goal) | الحكم (hakam) | الجمهور لوكال )ljoumhour local) | الجمهور فيزيتور (ljoumhour visiteur) |
| Croatian | igrač | vratar | sudac | domáci navijači | gostujući navijači |
| Danish | en spiller | en målmand | en dommer | hjemmetihængere | udetilhængere |
| Dutch | de speler | de doelman | de scheidsrechter | de thuissupporters | de uitsupporters |
| French | le joueur | le gardien de but | l'arbitre | les supporteurs à domicile | les supporteurs visiteurs |
| French (Canadian) | le joueur | le gardien de but | l'arbitre | les partisans à domicile | les partisans visiteurs |
| German | der Spieler | der Torwart | der Schiedsrichter | die Heimfans | die Auswärtsfans |
| German (Swiss) | dr Spieler | Gooli | dr Schidsrichter | d'Fäns vor Heimmannschaft | d'Fäns vor gägnerische Mannschaft |
| Japanese | 選手 (senshu) | ゴールキーパー (gōrukīpā) | 審判 (shimpan) | ホームファン (hōmufan) | アウェーファン (awēgan) |
| Korean | 선수 (seonsu) | 골키퍼 (golkipuh) | 주심 (jusim) | 홈팬 (hompaen) | 원정 팬 (wonjeong paen) |
| Persian | بازیکن (bāzikon) | دروازه بان (darvāze bān) | داور (dāvar) | هواداران تیم میزبان (havādārāne time mizbān) | هواداران تیم میهمان (havādārāne time mihmān) |
| Polish | zawodnik | bramkarz | sędzia | kibice gospodarzy | kibice gości |
| Portuguese (Brazilian) | o jogador | o goleiro | o juiz | a torcida da casa | a torcida visitante |
| Portuguese (European) | o jogador | o guarda-redes | o árbitro | os adeptos da equipa visitada | os adeptos da equipa visitada |
| Serbian | играч (igrač) | голман (golman) | судија (sudija) | домаћи навијачи (domáci navijači) | гостујући навијачи (gostujući navijači) |
| Spanish (Argentinian) | el jugador | el arquero | el árbitro | los hinchas locales | los hinchas visitantes |
| Spanish (European) | el jugador | el portero | el árbitro | la afición local | la afición visitante |
| Spanish (Latin American) | el jugador | el portero | el árbitro | los hinchas locales | los hinchas visitantes |
| Welsh | chwaraewr | gôl-geidwad | dyfarnwr | cefnogwyr cartref | cefnogwyr I ffwrdd |
When things go wrong…
Football matches aren’t all sunshine and roses, and this especially depends on the team you support. Yes, you might see a red card or a yellow card, but if you miss it, then you’ll need these words to help you understand what’s going on.
| English | own-goal | foul | yellow card | red card |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arabic (Gulf) | هدف في مرماه (hadaf fi marmah) | فاول (fawl) | كرت أصفر (kart asfar) | كرت أحمر (kart ahmar) |
| Arabic (Moroccan) | هدف ضدّ راسو (hadaf ded rassou) | فوط (faute) | بطاقة صفرا (bitaqa sefra) | بطاقة حمرا (bitaqa hamra) |
| Croatian | autogol | prekršaj | žuti karton | crveni karton |
| Danish | et selvmål | et frispark | et gult kort | et rødt kort |
| Dutch | het eigen doelpunt | de overtreding | de gele kaart | de rode kaart |
| French | le but contre son camp | la faute | le carton jaune | le carton rouge |
| French (Canadian) | le but contre son camp | hors champ | le carton jaune | le carton rouge |
| German | das Eigentor | das Foul | die Gelbe Karte | die Rote Karte |
| German (Swiss) | ds Eigegou | ds Faul | di gäubi Charte | di roti Charte |
| Japanese | オウンゴール (oungōru) | 反則 (hansoku) | イエローカード (ierōkādo) | レッドカード (reddokādo) |
| Korean | 자살골 (jasalgol) | 반칙 (banchig) | 옐로카드 (yelokadeu) | 레드카드 (ledeukadeu) |
| Persian | گل به خودی (gol be khodi) | خطا (khatā) | کارت زرد (kārte zard) | کارت قرمز (kārte ghermez) |
| Polish | samobój | faul | żółta kartka | czerwona kartka |
| Portuguese (Brazilian) | o gol contra | a falta | o cartão amarelo | o cartão vermelho |
| Portuguese (European) | o auto-golo | a falta | o cartão amarelo | o cartão vermelho |
| Serbian | аутогол (autogol) | прекршај (prekršaj) | жути картон (žuti karton) | црвени картон (tsrveni karton) |
| Spanish (Argentinian) | el gol en contra | la falta | la tarjeta amarilla | la tarjeta roja |
| Spanish (European) | el gol en propia puerta | la falta | la tarjeta amarilla | la tarjeta roja |
| Spanish (Latin American) | el autogol | el faul | la tarjeta amarilla | la tarjeta roja |
| Welsh | hunan-gôl | chwarae brwnt | cerdyn melyn | cerdyn coch |
Get chatting
Of course, some phrases will come in handy when you find yourself in a conversation with an avid football fan. Start with the easy Who do you support? to make sure you don’t commit a social faux pas by saying you like their rivals! You can also ask What time is kick off? if you’re interested in watching a game yourself – either in person or on TV.
| English | Who do you support? | What time is kick off? |
|---|---|---|
| Arabic (Gulf) | من تشجع؟ (mn toshajie) | متى تنطلق صافرة البداية؟ (mataa tantaliq safirat albadaya) |
| Arabic (Moroccan) | مع شمن فرقة نت؟ (maa chmen ferqa nta) | فوقاش غيبدا الماتش؟ (fouqach raybda lmatch) |
| Croatian | Za koga navijaš? | U koliko sati je ispucavanje? |
| Danish | Hvem holder du med? | Hvornår begynder kampen? |
| Dutch | Wie support je? | Hoe laat is de aftrap? |
| French | Qui supportez-vous ? | C'est à quelle heure, le coupe d'envoi ? |
| French (Canadian) | Qui supportez-vous ? | À quelle heure est la mise au jeu ? |
| German | Für wen bist du? | Wann ist Anstoß? |
| German (Swiss) | Für wär bisch? | Wenn isch dr Aapfiff? |
| Japanese | どのチームをサポートしますか？ (donochīmuwo sapōtoshimasuka?) | キックオフは何時ですか？ (kikku-ohuwa nanjidesuka?) |
| Korean | 어느 팀 응원해요? (eoneu tim eung-wonheyo?) | 경기가 언제 시작해요? (gyeong-giga eonjeh sijakaeyo?) |
| Persian | طرفدار کدوم تیم هستید؟ (tarafdāre kodum tim hastid) | بازی کی شروع میشه؟ (bāzi key shoru' mishe) |
| Polish | Komu kibicujesz? | O której zaczyna się mecz? |
| Portuguese (Brazilian) | Para quem você torce? | A que horas começa o jogo? |
| Portuguese (European) | Quem é que apoia? | A que horas é o pontapé de saída? |
| Serbian | За кога навијаш? (Za koga navijaš?) | У колико сати почиње утакмица? (U koliko sati počinje utakmitsa?) |
| Spanish (Argentinian) | ¿De quién es hincha? | ¿A qué hora es el saque inicial? |
| Spanish (European) | ¿De qué equipo eres? | ¿A qué hora empieza? |
| Spanish (Latin American) | ¿A quién le vas? | ¿A qué hora empieza el partido? |
| Welsh | Pwy ydych chi'n eu cefnogi? | Faint o'r gloch mae'r gêm yn dechrau? |
Plus, there are always fun things to shout as the match progresses: Go on! Great shot! Great save! Learn these phrases, and you’ll be sounding like a native in no time.
| English | Go on! | Great shot! | Great save! |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arabic (Gulf) | استمر! (istamir) | تسديدة رائعة! (tasdida rayiea) | صده رائعة! (sadah rayiea) |
| Arabic (Moroccan) | يالاّه! (yallah) | تير واعر! (tir waer) | باراد واعرة! (parade waera) |
| Croatian | Idemo! | Sjajan pogodak! | Sjajna obrana! |
| Danish | Kom så! | Flot skud. | Fantastisk redning. |
| Dutch | Kom op! | Goed schot! | Fantastische redding! |
| French | Allez ! | Beau tir ! | Belle parade ! |
| French (Canadian) | Allez ! | Beau tir ! | Quel bel arrêt ! |
| German | Weiter so! | Super Schuss! | Glanzparade! |
| German (Swiss) | Hopp! | Schtarche Schuss! | Schtarch pariert! |
| Japanese | 頑張れ！ (gambare!) | 凄いシュートだ！ (sugoishūtoda!) | 素晴しいセーブだ！ (subarashī sēhuda!) |
| Korean | 가자! (gaja!) | 잘 쐈다! (jal sswatda!) | 잘 막았다! (jal mag-atda!) |
| Persian | برو! (boro) | شوت عالی! (shute āli) | مهار عالی! (mahāre āli) |
| Polish | Dawaj! | Świetny strzał! | Doskonała obrona! |
| Portuguese (Brazilian) | Vai! | Ótimo chute! | Ótimo defesa! |
| Portuguese (European) | Força! | Grande remate! | Grande defesa! |
| Serbian | Хајде! (Hajde!) | Одличан ударац! (Odličan udarats!) | Одлична одбрана! (Odlična odbrana!) |
| Spanish (Argentinian) | ¡Vamos! | ¡Qué buen tiro! | ¡Qué buena atajada! |
| Spanish (European) | ¡Venga! | ¡Buen tiro! | ¡Buena parada! |
| Spanish (Latin American) | ¡Vamos! | ¡Qué buen tiro! | ¡Qué buena tapada! |
| Welsh | Cer amdani! | Ergyd gwych! | Arbediad gwych! |
And the important bits…
Football is a competition, after all! Learn how to say win, draw, or defeat:
| English | win | draw | defeat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arabic (Gulf) | فاز (faz) | تعادل (taeadol) | هزيمة (hazima) |
| Arabic (Moroccan) | الربح (ribh) | التعادل (taadoul) | الخسارة (lkhasara) |
| Croatian | pobjeda | neriješeno | poraz |
| Danish | en sejr | uafgjort | et nederlag |
| Dutch | de winst | het gelijkspel | het verlies |
| French | la victoire | le match nul | la défaite |
| French (Canadian) | la victoire | le match nul | la défaite |
| German | der Sieg | das Unentscheiden | die Niederlage |
| German (Swiss) | dr Sieg | ds Unentschide | d'Niederlag |
| Japanese | 勝利 (shōri) | 引き分け (hikiwake) | 敗北 (haiboku) |
| Korean | 우승 (wu-seung) | 무승부 (museungbu) | 패배 (paebae) |
| Persian | برد (bord) | مساوی (mosāvi) | باخت (bākht) |
| Polish | zwycięstwo | remis | porażka |
| Portuguese (Brazilian) | a vitória | o empate | a derrota |
| Portuguese (European) | a vitória | o empate | a derrota |
| Serbian | победа (pobeda) | нерешено (nerešeno) | пораз (poraz) |
| Spanish (Argentinian) | el triunfo | el empate | la derrota |
| Spanish (European) | la victoria | el empate | la derrota |
| Spanish (Latin American) | el triunfo | el empate | la derrota |
| Welsh | buddugoliaeth | gêm gyfartal | colled |
And, of course, 2022 is a World Cup year. Did you know that the men’s World Cup is the most-viewed sporting event in the world? Learn how to say it in 20+ languages below:
| English | World Cup |
|---|---|
| Gulf Arabic | كأس العالم (ka's alealam) |
| Moroccan Arabic | كاس العالم (kass laalam) |
| Croatian | Svjetski kup |
| Danish | VM |
| Dutch | de wereldbeker |
| French | la Coupe du monde |
| French (Canadian) | la Coupe du monde |
| German | die Fußballmeisterschaft |
| German (Swiss) | d'Wäutmeischterschaft |
| Japanese | ワールドカップ (wārudokappu) |
| Korean | 월드컵 (woldeukeob) |
| Persian | جام جهانی (jāme jahāni) |
| Polish | Puchar Świata |
| Portuguese (Brazilian) | a Copa do Mundo |
| Portuguese (European) | Campeonato do Mundo |
| Serbian | Светски куп (Svetski kup) |
| Spanish (Argentinian) | la Copa del Mundo |
| Spanish (European) | la Copa del Mundo |
| Spanish (Latin American) | la copa mundial |
| Welsh | Cwpan y Byd |
Want to learn more football-related words and phrases? Why not give our football starter pack a try? Choose from any of 150+ languages and you’ll be up and speaking in no time!
Happy language learning!
I was very surprised by the pronunciation of the word ‘ball’ in Serbian, it’s very different from other languages