Finnish Sports Vocabulary

Here are Finnish words for sports to start with: koripallo (basketball), jalkapallo (football), maali (goal), pelata (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
EnglishFinnishTypeLevel
basketballkoripallonounA1
fanfaninounA1
fieldkenttänounA1
footballjalkapallonounA1
goalmaalinounA1
playpelataverbA1
runjuostaverbA1
tennistennisnounA1

The rest of this pack is in the app

Sports Intermediate

A1–B1
EnglishFinnishTypeLevel
ballpallonounA1
gamepelinounA1
playerpelaajanounA1
swimminguintinounA1
teamjoukkuenounA1
runningjuoksunounA2
trainingharjoittelunounA2
agilityketteryysnounB1

Sports Advanced

A2–C1
EnglishFinnishTypeLevel
exerciseliikuntanounA2
matchottelunounB1
formidablepelottavaadjB2
perseverancesinnikkyysnounB2
qualifierkarsintaottelunounB2
wildcardvapaapaikkanounB2
winvoittaaverbB2
athleticismurheilullisuusnounC1

Team Sports

A1–B1
EnglishFinnishTypeLevel
baseballbaseballnounA1
volleyballlentopallonounA1
hockeyjääkiekkonounA2
shootlaukoaverbA2
assistmaalisyöttönounB1
defenderpuolustajanounB1
goalkeepermaalivahtinounB1
handballkäsipallonounB1

More from this pack waits in the app

Individual Sports

A2–B2
EnglishFinnishTypeLevel
skiinghiihtonounA2
surfingsurffausnounA2
table tennispöytätennisnounA2
divinguimahyppynounB1
martial artskamppailulajitnounB1
biathlonampumahiihtonounB2
fencingmiekkailunounB2
triathlontriathlonnounB2

Sports Rules & Terms

A2–B2
EnglishFinnishTypeLevel
servesyöttääverbA2
knockouttyrmäysnounB1
umpireerotuomarinounB1
birdiebirdienounB2
bogeybogeynounB2
handicaptasoitusnounB2
standingssarjataulukkonounB2
sudden deathäkkikuolemanounB2

Extreme Sports

A2–B2
EnglishFinnishTypeLevel
snowboardinglumilautailunounA2
bungee jumpingbenjihyppynounB1
kayakingmelontanounB1
paraglidingvarjoliitonounB1
rock climbingkalliokiipeilynounB1
skydivinglaskuvarjohyppynounB1
windsurfingpurjelautailunounB1
base jumpingBASE-hyppynounB2

Sports Equipment

A1–A2
EnglishFinnishTypeLevel
clubgolfmailanounA1
basketkorinounA2
batpesäpallomailanounA2
jerseypelipaitanounA2
matjumppamattonounA2
netverkkonounA2
racketmailanounA2
ringkehänounA2

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 Finnish words should I learn for sports?

You could start with words like koripallo (basketball), jalkapallo (football), maali (goal), pelata (play). This page lists 64 Finnish words for sports (A1–C1), each with its English translation and part of speech.

How can I remember these Finnish words?

Reading a list once is rarely enough. Watch Your Language shows Finnish 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 Finnish word lists