atletismo
/atleˈtismo/masculine
atletismo is the Spanish word for track and field.
atletismo is a masculine noun used to refer to the group of athletic sports.
Meaning: group of athletic sports (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
This is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/atleˈtismo/
Did you know?
- The suffix -ismo in atletismo is used to denote a system, doctrine or collective practice, similar to how English uses 'ism' in words like 'capitalism' or 'optimism'.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, atleta is used as a general term for any sportsperson, whereas in English 'athlete' is more commonly associated with the specific sports within atletismo.
- While atletismo is the official term for track and field, Spanish speakers often use the phrase pruebas de atletismo to describe specific events, which literally translates to 'tests of athletics'.
Examples in context
- El atletismo es la parte más interesante de los Juegos Olímpicos.Track and field is the most interesting part of the Olympic Games.This sentence describes the interest level of atletismo within the Olympic Games.Tatoeba #11458768 by carlosalberto, translation #11458751 by carlosalberto
- El país ha tenido campeones del mundo en deportes como esgrima, pádel, fútbol sala, waterpolo, vela, boxeo, gimnasia rítmica, balonmano, atletismo, fútbol, baloncesto o bádminton.The country has had champions in sports like fencing, paddle tennis, futsal, water polo, sailing, boxing, rhythmic gymnastics, handball, track and field, soccer, basketball, and badminton.This sentence lists several different sports, including atletismo.Tatoeba #8311413 by GuidoW, translation #10868514 by Luornu
- Soy muy bueno/a en el atletismo.I'm really good at track and field.
- ¡Vamos a ver la competencia de atletismo!Let's go watch the track and field competition!
- salto de altura en el atletismoHigh jump in track and field
- practicar atletismoTo practice track and field
- Ella practica atletismo en la universidad.She practices track and field at the university.
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are talking about their school activities.
- Lucía¿Vas a entrenar hoy, Mateo?Are you going to train today, Mateo?
- MateoSí, tengo una competencia de atletismo.Yes, I have a track and field competition.
- Lucía¡Qué bien! Mucha suerte en tu carrera.That's great! Good luck in your race.
- MateoGracias, Lucía. Espero ganar.Thanks, Lucía. I hope to win.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “track and field” translations and entries atletismo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
