Ich spiele Fußball
The phrase "I play football" is translated into German as Ich spiele Fußball.
This is a statement used to say that someone participates in the sport of football.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of Ich (I), spiele (play) and Fußball (football).
Which one should you use?
In German, Fußball refers specifically to association football (soccer), whereas in English, the word "football" can refer to American football depending on the dialect.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Bavarian dialect, I spui Fußball. is used to say "I play football."
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb spielen is conjugated for the first-person singular subject Ich by adding the suffix -e. When changing the subject to the informal "you" (du), the verb changes from spiele to spielst.
Did you know?
- In Germany, saying Ich spiele Fußball often implies you are a member of a registered club Verein rather than just playing casually with friends.
- While Fußball describes the global sport, Germans use the English word Football as a loanword to refer specifically to American football.
- While Fußball is a direct translation of 'football', it is actually a 'calque' of the English term, meaning the German word was constructed to mimic the English structure.
Examples in context
- Ich spiele Fußball.I play football.This sentence is useful for expressing that you participate in the sport of football using the form Ich spiele Fußball.Tatoeba #9969448 by Yorwba, translation #2175511 by frog1011
- Ich spiele Fußball im Verein.I play football in a club.
Example conversation
Lukas and Hannah are talking about their hobbies at a cafe.
- LukasIch spiele Fußball, und du?I play football, and you?
- HannahIch spiele lieber Tennis.I prefer playing tennis.
- LukasMöchtest du mal mit mir spielen?Would you like to play with me sometime?
- HannahVielleicht, aber nur im Sommer.Maybe, but only in the summer.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Fußball, Ich, ich, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
