deportividad
/depoɾtibiˈdad/feminine
The English word sportsmanship can be translated into Spanish as deportividad. Wiktionary also lists espíritu deportivo.
Meaning: (good) behavior in sports (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| deportividad | /depoɾtibiˈdad/ | feminine |
| espíritu deportivo | /espiɾitu depoɾtibo/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
The term refers to good behavior in sports. In Spanish, you can express that someone is exhibiting sportsmanship by using the verbs tener (to have) or mostrar (to show) with deportividad. Additionally, the English term 'Fair play' is commonly used in Spanish contexts.
Which one should you use?
deportividad is a feminine noun and is the most common way to refer to the quality of sportsmanship. espíritu deportivo is a masculine noun phrase that serves as a synonym, often used when you want to emphasize the 'spirit' of the game.
How does it change in a sentence?
deportividad is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/depoɾtibiˈdad/
Did you know?
- The root word deporte shares an ancient connection with the idea of 'carrying' or 'transporting' oneself away from daily stress for leisure.
- In Spanish, instead of using a single noun for sportsmanship, people often describe a bad sport as un mal deportista, which literally translates to 'a bad athlete'.
- In Spanish, espíritu is a cognate of the English 'spirit' and shares a root with the Latin verb spīrō, which means 'to breathe'.
Examples in context
- En el fútbol, la caballerosidad deportiva es fundamental para fomentar un ambiente de juego justo y respetuoso.In soccer, sportsmanship is crucial to promote a fair and respectful playing environment.
- ¡Juguemos con buen rollo y respeto!Let's play with good sportsmanship and respect!
- En este juego, tenemos que practicar el fair play y mostrar respeto hacia nuestros oponentes.In this game, we have to practice fair play and show respect towards our opponents.
- La deportividad es clave para mantener la integridad del deporte.Sportsmanship is key to maintaining the integrity of the sport.
- La deportividad es esencial en el tenis.Sportsmanship is essential in tennis.
- Perdimos el partido, pero hubo mucha deportividad.We lost the match, but there was a lot of sportsmanship.
- El árbitro premió su deportividad.The referee rewarded his sportsmanship.
Example conversation
Sofía and Daniel are discussing a recent soccer match.
- SofíaDaniel, ¿viste la actitud de los jugadores?Daniel, did you see the players' attitude?
- DanielSí, demostraron una gran deportividad.Yes, they demonstrated great sportsmanship.
- SofíaEs muy importante para el club.It is very important for the club.
- DanielTienes razón, Sofía.You are right, Sofía.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sportsmanship” translations and entries deportividad, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries deportividad, deportivo, espíritu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
