Dutch Sports Vocabulary

Here are Dutch words for sports to start with: basketbal (basketball), voetbal (football), doelpunt (goal), spelen (play). Below are 64 words (A1–C1) with their English translations and part of speech, across 8 themed lists.

A footballer kicking a ball on a grass pitch
Photo: SeppH

Sports Basics

A1
EnglishDutchTypeLevel
basketballbasketbalnounA1
fanfannounA1
fieldveldnounA1
footballvoetbalnounA1
goaldoelpuntnounA1
playspelenverbA1
runrennenverbA1
tennistennisnounA1

The rest of this pack is in the app

Sports Intermediate

A1–B1
EnglishDutchTypeLevel
ballbalnounA1
gamewedstrijdnounA1
playerspelernounA1
swimmingzwemmennounA1
teamteamnounA1
runninghardlopennounA2
trainingtrainingnounA2
agilitybehendigheidnounB1

Sports Advanced

A2–C1
EnglishDutchTypeLevel
exerciselichaamsbewegingnounA2
matchwedstrijdnounB1
formidablegeduchtadjB2
perseverancedoorzettingsvermogennounB2
qualifierkwalificatiewedstrijdnounB2
wildcardwildcardnounB2
winwinnenverbB2
athleticismatletisch vermogennounC1

Team Sports

A1–B1
EnglishDutchTypeLevel
baseballhonkbalnounA1
volleyballvolleybalnounA1
hockeyhockeynounA2
shootschietenverbA2
assistassistnounB1
defenderverdedigernounB1
goalkeeperdoelmannounB1
handballhandbalnounB1

More from this pack waits in the app

Individual Sports

A2–B2
EnglishDutchTypeLevel
skiingskiënnounA2
surfingsurfennounA2
table tennistafeltennisnounA2
divingschoonspringennounB1
martial artsvechtsportennounB1
biathlonbiatlonnounB2
fencingschermennounB2
triathlontriatlonnounB2

Sports Rules & Terms

A2–B2
EnglishDutchTypeLevel
serveserverenverbA2
knockoutknock-outnounB1
umpirescheidsrechternounB1
birdiebirdienounB2
bogeybogeynounB2
handicaphandicapnounB2
standingsklassementnounB2
sudden deathsudden deathnounB2

Extreme Sports

A2–B2
EnglishDutchTypeLevel
snowboardingsnowboardennounA2
bungee jumpingbungeejumpennounB1
kayakingkajakkennounB1
paraglidingparaglidennounB1
rock climbingrotsklimmennounB1
skydivingparachutespringennounB1
windsurfingwindsurfennounB1
base jumpingbasejumpennounB2

Sports Equipment

A1–A2
EnglishDutchTypeLevel
clubgolfstoknounA1
basketbasketnounA2
bathonkbalknuppelnounA2
jerseyshirtnounA2
matmatnounA2
netnetnounA2
racketracketnounA2
ringringnounA2

Keep going with this pack in the app

Emoji: Twemoji, CC-BY 4.0

A sample of the A1–C1 words. The rest are in the app

Watch Your LanguageVocabulary widgets for iPhone & Apple Watch

These lists show a sample of the A1–C1 words for sports. The packs in Watch Your Language hold more and reach the advanced levels, along with every other topic.

The app shows them to you a few at a time, in a widget on your iPhone Lock Screen and on your Apple Watch face, and brings back the ones you keep forgetting.

Common questions

Which Dutch words should I learn for sports?

You could start with words like basketbal (basketball), voetbal (football), doelpunt (goal), spelen (play). This page lists 64 Dutch words for sports (A1–C1), each with its English translation and part of speech.

How can I remember these Dutch words?

Reading a list once is rarely enough. Watch Your Language shows Dutch words like these in a widget on your iPhone Lock Screen and on your Apple Watch face, and schedules repeats so the words you keep forgetting come back more often.

Are these word lists free?

Yes. The lists on this page are free to read, with no sign-up. The app holds more words for each topic.

More Dutch word lists