What does it mean word for word?
Literally, Me gusta hacer deporte translates to "To me, it is pleasing to do sport".
Which one should you use?
While hacer is the most common way to say "doing" sports in daily conversation, using practicar as in Me gusta practicar deporte is slightly more formal or technical. Additionally, while the singular deporte is common to refer to the activity of sport in general, you can use the plural deportes in the phrase Me gusta hacer deportes to refer to multiple specific types of sports.
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to the activity of sport in general, the singular deporte is common, but you may use the plural deportes to refer to multiple specific types of sports.
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 mistake by translating "I like" directly, but Spanish uses an impersonal structure that requires the indirect object pronoun me.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, saying hacer deporte can encompass any physical activity, including a brisk walk in the park, which an English speaker might not call a 'sport'.
- The word deporte is a linguistic 'calque', meaning it was constructed to mimic the concept of the English word 'sport'.
- Although deporte is the general term, the most popular 'sport' in the Spanish-speaking world is so dominant that people often just say el fútbol without using the word deporte at all.
Examples in context
- Siempre me gusta practicar deportesI always like to practice sports
- Me gusta hacer deporte para la salud.I like to practice sports for my health.
- A veces, me gusta hacer deporte en el parque.Sometimes, I like to practice sports in the park.
- No tengo mucho tiempo, pero me gusta hacer deporte.I don't have much time, but I like to practice sports.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing their weekend hobbies.
- LucíaAlejandro, ¿qué haces para divertirte?Alejandro, what do you do for fun?
- AlejandroMe gusta hacer deporte, especialmente el fútbol.I like to practice sports, especially soccer.
- Lucía¡Qué bien! A mí también me gusta mucho.That's great! I like it a lot too.
- AlejandroEntonces, ¿quieres jugar conmigo el sábado?Then, do you want to play with me on Saturday?
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.
