Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| アメリカンフットボール | Amerikan futtobōru | [a̠me̞ɾʲika̠ɰ̃ ɸɯ̟̊t̚to̞bo̞ːɾɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 鎧球 | gaikyū | [ɡa̠ikʲɨː] (narrow) |
| フットボール | futtobōru | [ɸɯ̟̊t̚to̞bo̞ːɾɯ̟] (narrow) |
| アメフト | amefuto | [a̠me̞ɸɯ̟̊to̞] (narrow) |
The term refers to the sport of American football. While アメリカンフットボール is a common way to refer to the sport in Japan, other forms exist depending on the context and level of formality.
Which one should you use?
アメフト is a common abbreviation used to refer to the game. Although フットボール can refer to American football, it is also the standard way to refer to soccer (football) in many contexts, so using the full アメリカンフットボール or the abbreviation アメフト helps avoid ambiguity.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
アメリカンフットボール is a common and standard way to name the sport. アメフト is an informal abbreviation commonly used in casual conversation and sports media. Although not listed in the main forms, 米式蹴球 is a formal translation that focuses on the sport's American roots.
How do you pronounce it?
Amerikan futtobōru
Did you know?
- The rare term 鎧球 literally translates to 'armor ball'. This reflects the Japanese perception of the sport's heavy protective gear as being similar to traditional samurai armor.
- The formal term 米式蹴球 uses the character 米 to represent 'America'. This is a common way in Japanese to refer to the United States, similar to how '米' is used in '米国' (the United States).
- The term 蹴球 (shūkyū) is the formal word for 'kicking ball', but it is rarely used in conversation today, having been replaced by the borrowed フットボール or サッカー.
Examples in context
- トムはアメフトを気に入っていた。Tom liked American football.This sentence shows how to use the abbreviation アメフト.Tatoeba #11753198 by small_snow, translation #12421111 by zogwarg
- 少年たちがフットボールをしてるよ。The boys are playing American football.This sentence shows the use of フットボール to refer to the sport.Tatoeba #10640685 by small_snow, translation #10641259 by Johannes_S
- アメリカンフットボールに夢中なんだ。I'm crazy about American football.This sentence demonstrates the use of the full term アメリカンフットボール.Tatoeba #230148 by bunbuku, translation #67513 by CM
- 明日はアメリカンフットボールの試合ですか？Is there an American football game tomorrow?
- アメフトが大好きで毎週試合を観ます。I love American football, and I watch games every week.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two students are talking about their favorite sports.
- 陽葵 Himari健太くんは、アメリカンフットボールが好きですか？Kenta-kun wa, amerikan futtobōru ga suki desu ka?Kenta, do you like American football?
- 健太 Kentaはい、とても面白いスポーツだと思います。Hai, totemo omoshiroi supōtsu da to omoimasu.Yes, I think it is a very interesting sport.
- 陽葵 Himariいつからアメリカンフットボールを始めたんですか？Itsu kara amerikan futtobōru o hajimeta n desu ka?When did you start playing American football?
- 健太 Kenta高校に入ってから始めました。Kōkō ni haitte kara hajimemashita.I started after entering high school.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “american football” translations and entries アメリカンフットボール, 鎧球, フットボール, アメフト, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries アメリカンフットボール, フットボール, 鎧球, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
