karate
/kaˈɾate/
The Spanish word for karate is karate.
karate is the term used to refer to the martial art.
Meaning: martial art (noun)
Which one should you use?
While karate is the standard term, el karate-do can be used in formal contexts to indicate that the martial art is viewed as a way of life.
How do you pronounce it?
/kaˈɾate/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the term karateca is used to describe a person who practices karate, rather than simply saying estudiante de karate.
- The original Okinawan derivation of the word, tōdī, refers to 'Chinese hand', a history that is often lost when using the simplified Spanish term karate.
- While karate is spelled the same as in English, the Spanish pronunciation uses a tapped 'r' sound, making it sound distinct from the English version.
Examples in context
- ¿En dónde aprendiste karate?Where did you learn karate?This sentence is useful for asking someone where they learned karate.Tatoeba #2063707 by marcelostockle, translation #2060074 by CK
- Tom es un experto en karate.Tom is a karate expert.This sentence is useful for describing someone as an expert in karate.Tatoeba #4600179 by DarkHollow, translation #4597767 by Hybrid
- El karate es un arte ancestralKarate is an ancient art
- El karate es muy bueno para la disciplina.Karate is very good for discipline.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their weekend activities at a cafe.
- Lucía¿Practicas karate los sábados?Do you practice karate on Saturdays?
- DanielSí, voy a mi clase de karate.Yes, I am going to my karate class.
- LucíaQué bien, Daniel, es un deporte genial.That's great, Daniel, it is a cool sport.
- DanielGracias, Lucía, me ayuda a mantenerme activo.Thanks, Lucía, it helps me stay active.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “karate” translations and entries karate, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries karate, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
