What does it mean word for word?
The literal translation of me gusta hacer deporte is "to me it is pleasing to do sport".
Which one should you use?
While the English expression uses "play", using jugar in Spanish is less natural. hacer deporte is the more common and natural way to express the general activity of doing sports. If you want to express a stronger passion than just liking, you can use me encanta hacer deporte to say "I love doing sports".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the verb hacer is frequently used to mean "to do" in the context of sports, such as in me gusta hacer deporte. In some Latin American countries, you may see the verb practicar deportes used instead of jugar deportes.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can use the plural form me gusta hacer deportes instead of the singular deporte to express the same general interest.
How do you pronounce it?
/me ɡusta aθeɾ depoɾte/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying yo gusto hacer deporte. English speakers often make this error by translating "I like" directly into Spanish, but you should use me gusta instead.
Did you know?
- The word deporte is a calque of the English word 'sport', though both ultimately trace back to the Latin word dēportāre, meaning 'to carry away'.
- In Spanish, the word deporte can refer to both the general concept of athleticism and a specific physical activity, whereas English often distinguishes between 'sport' and 'exercise'.
- While English uses the verb 'play' for most sports, Spanish speakers use jugar only for games with a ball or a competitive opponent and hacer for general athletic activity.
Examples in context
- Me gusta practicar deportes los domingos.I like practicing sports on Sundays.
- Me gusta hacer deporte.I like to do sports.
- Me gusta hacer deporte en mi tiempo libre.I like to do sports in my free time.
- A mi hermano le encanta el fútbol, pero a mí solo me gusta hacer deporte.My brother loves soccer, but I only like to do sports.
- No soy muy fan del gimnasio, pero me gusta hacer deporte.I'm not a big fan of the gym, but I like to do sports.
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are talking about their weekend plans.
- Lucía¿Quieres ir al cine este sábado?Do you want to go to the cinema this Saturday?
- JavierNo puedo, me gusta hacer deporte los sábados por la mañana.I can't, I like to do sports on Saturday mornings.
- Lucía¡Qué bien! ¿Qué deporte practicas, Javier?That's great! What sport do you practice, Javier?
- JavierSuelo jugar al tenis con mis amigos.I usually play tennis with my friends.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries deporte, hacer, me, CC BY-SA 4.0.
