portero
/poɾˈteɾo/
The English phrase "goal keeper" translates to Spanish as portero.
A goal keeper is the player on a sports team whose job is to stop the ball from entering the goal.
Which one should you use?
While portero is the standard term for a goalkeeper, it can also mean a doorman or a porter in other contexts. In many Latin American countries, the word arquero is frequently used instead of portero.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The word arquero is a frequent alternative to portero in many Latin American countries.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine plural form porteros is used to refer to a group of male goalkeepers or a mixed-gender group of goalkeepers. The feminine plural form of portero is porteras.
How do you pronounce it?
/poɾˈteɾo/
Did you know?
- The term arquero links the goalkeeper to the profession of an 'archer'.
- In many Spanish-speaking football broadcasts, commentators often use the term el uno (the one) to refer to the goalkeeper.
- In Spanish, a portero is not just a sports player or a doorman, but also the term for a 'concierge' in an apartment building who manages the entrance.
Examples in context
- Él es portero.He's a goal keeper.This sentence is useful for identifying someone's role as a portero.Tatoeba #886469 by Shishir, translation #845928 by U2FS
- El portero es muy ágil.The goalkeeper is very agile.
- Necesitamos un buen portero para el equipo.We need a good goalkeeper for the team.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are talking about their local football team.
- Alejandro¿Quién es el portero hoy?Who is the goalkeeper today?
- LucíaEs un chico nuevo muy alto.He is a very tall new boy.
- AlejandroEspero que el portero juegue bien.I hope the goalkeeper plays well.
- LucíaÉl es muy bueno deteniendo balones.He is very good at stopping balls.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry portero, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
