voetbal
/ˈvut.bɑl/neuter
Soccer in Dutch is voetbal.
The word voetbal is a noun that refers to the sport of soccer itself or the soccer ball used to play the game.
Meaning: game (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of voet (foot) and bal (ball), literally meaning "foot ball".
Which one should you use?
While voetbal is the noun for the sport or the ball, you can also use the related verb voetballen to mean the act of playing soccer.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun voetbal is a neuter noun. The verb form voetballen describes the action of playing the sport.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈvut.bɑl/. It has two syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- In the Netherlands, the term Totaalvoetbal describes a tactical system where any outfield player can take over the role of any other player in the team.
- While voetbal is the sport, a voetbalveld is the pitch, and Dutch culture treats these community fields as vital social hubs in almost every village.
- The Dutch word voetbal is a linguistic calque, meaning it was created by translating the English concept of 'football' directly into Dutch components.
Examples in context
- Hou je van voetbal?Do you like soccer?This sentence is useful for asking if someone likes voetbal.Tatoeba #7488234 by MarijnKp, translation #6274484 by CK
- Ik voetbal elke dag.I play soccer every day.This sentence is useful for stating that someone plays voetbal daily.Tatoeba #10635529 by rose_d, translation #249383 by CK
- Sami had een voetbal.Sami had a soccer ball.This sentence is useful for describing someone having a voetbal.Tatoeba #7238685 by FreekVerkerk, translation #7237955 by OsoHombre
- Ik houd van voetbal.I love soccer.
- Voetbal is een populaire sport in Nederland.Soccer is a popular sport in the Netherlands.
- Laten we vanmiddag gaan voetballen.Let's play soccer this afternoon.
- Ben je goed in voetballen?Are you good at playing soccer?
- 108 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lisa and Levi are talking about their hobbies at a cafe.
- LisaSpeel jij ook voetbal?Do you also play soccer?
- LeviJa, ik hou van voetbal.Yes, I love soccer.
- LisaWat een leuke sport!What a fun sport!
- LeviDank je, Lisa.Thank you, Lisa.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “soccer” translations and entries voetbal, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries voetbal, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
