futebol
/fu.t͡ʃiˈbɔw/masculine
Soccer in Portuguese is futebol.
futebol refers specifically to association football unless specified otherwise.
Meaning: game (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
The slang term Bola is used in Portugal and some other Portuguese-speaking countries. In Brazil, Pelada is used to describe casual soccer games.
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to the sport as a concept or subject, use the masculine definite article o, as in o futebol. The word futebol is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable: /fu.tʃiˈbɔw/.
Did you know?
- In Brazil, the term pelada for a casual game comes from the word for 'naked', referring to how players once stripped off their shirts to play.
- The Portuguese word futebol is a direct phonetic borrowing from the English 'football', rather than being a native construction.
- In Brazil, futebol is frequently used as a cultural shorthand for national identity rather than just a description of a game.
Examples in context
- Eu não jogo futebol.I don't play soccer.This sentence is useful for expressing that you do not play futebol.Tatoeba #6668080 by Ricardo14, translation #6667022 by CK
- Ele gosta de futebol.He likes soccer.This sentence is useful for expressing that someone likes futebol.Tatoeba #4823900 by Ricardo14, translation #290019 by CK
- Eu sei jogar futebol.I can play soccer.This sentence is useful for expressing that you know how to play futebol.Tatoeba #4899751 by bill, translation #253859 by CK
- Eu assisto muito futebol nos fins de semanaI watch a lot of soccer on weekends
- Os jogadores treinam futebol de campo regularmenteThe players train field football regularly
- Vamos jogar bola?Shall we play soccer?
- A gente costuma jogar uma pelada no sábadoWe usually play a casual game of soccer on Saturdays
- Vamos assistir ao fut na casa do meu amigoLet's watch soccer at my friend's place
- Eu jogo futebol regularmenteI play soccer regularly
- Eu gosto de assistir/jogar futebolI enjoy watching/playing soccer
- O Cristiano Ronaldo é um dos melhores jogadores de futebolCristiano Ronaldo is one of the best soccer players
- 283 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Beatriz and Gabriel are talking about their weekend plans.
- BeatrizVocê quer assistir ao jogo de futebol?Do you want to watch the soccer game?
- GabrielSim, eu adoro futebol!Yes, I love soccer!
- BeatrizQue horas começa a partida de futebol?What time does the soccer match start?
- GabrielComeça às quatro da tarde, Beatriz.It starts at four in the afternoon, Beatriz.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “soccer” translations and entries futebol, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries futebol, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
