dojo
/ˈdoʝo/masculine
The Spanish word for training facility in martial arts is dojo.
For example, you can use the phrase el dojo de karate to mean the karate dojo or el dojo modesto for the humble dojo. You may also hear descriptors such as el gimnasio de artes marciales para niños (the martial arts gym for children) or la sala de artes marciales amplia (the spacious martial arts hall) to describe similar facilities.
Meaning: training facility in martial arts (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
dojo is a masculine noun. You can use El dojo to refer to a specific singular dojo and Los dojos to refer to multiple dojos.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈdoʝo/
Did you know?
- Spanish speakers may use the word tatami to refer not just to the mat, but to the entire training area within a dojo.
- While the word dojo carries a sense of sanctity in its original Japanese, a Spanish speaker will often treat it as a simple synonym for a 'sports club' or 'studio'.
- While dojo is the technical term, a person in Spain is more likely to find their training space inside a polideportivo, which is a government-run multi-sport complex.
Examples in context
- Vamos a la sala de artes marciales para la clase de karate.Let's go to the martial arts hall for the karate class.
- El dojo es muy grande.The dojo is very large.
- Entrenamos en el dojo cada martes.We train in the dojo every Tuesday.
- Busco un dojo cerca de mi casa.I am looking for a dojo near my house.
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are talking about their martial arts practice.
- Lucía¿A qué hora abren el dojo?What time does the dojo open?
- JavierEl dojo abre a las seis de la tarde.The dojo opens at six in the evening.
- LucíaPerfecto, te veré allí para entrenar.Perfect, I will see you there to train.
- JavierDe acuerdo, nos vemos en el dojo.Alright, see you at the dojo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dojo” translations and entries dojo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
