Tennis Vocabulary in Spanish

Are you a tennis enthusiast or a newcomer eager to learn the basics? In this article, you will find the essential tennis vocabulary in Spanish, so that you can enhance your game on and off the court.

Tennis is a sport loved by millions across the world and so it is in Spanish-speaking countries. Whether you’re watching a thrilling match at a major tournament or picking up a racket for the first time, understanding the game’s terminology in Spanish can add a whole new dimension to your tennis experience.

Tennis Vocabulary in Spanish

The love for tennis is universal. Whether you are a casual player or a seasoned pro, it’s essential to have a firm grasp of tennis vocabulary in Spanish if you’re venturing into Spanish-speaking countries. So, let’s get ready to explore this tennis vocabulary in Spanish. Understanding and using it can add an extra layer of fun and comprehension to the game.

Players and Equipment

Before we dive into the world of tennis vocabulary in Spanish, let’s get acquainted with the basics of tennis. Tennis is a racket sport played between two opponents (singles) or two teams of two players each (doubles). The objective is simple yet challenging: to score points by making the ball land in your opponent’s court. Tenis is the name of this sport in Spanish and a person who plays tennis is called tenista (tennis player). Now let’s see more terms regarding each people’s roles and the equipment tennis players need.

1. El or la tenista (tennis player)
2. El jugador or la jugadora con el saque; el sacador or la sacadora (server)
3. El jugador or la jugadora que recibe; el receptor or la receptora (receiver)
4. El juez de silla or la jueza de silla (chair umpire)
5. El juez de línea or la jueza de línea (line umpire)
6. El juez de red or la jueza de red (net umpire)
7. El juez árbitro or la jueza árbitro (arbitrating judge, arbitrator)
8. El jefe de árbitros or la jefa de árbitros (chief umpire)
9. El or la recogepelotas (ball boy, ball girl)
10. El espectador or la espectadora (spectator)
11. El entrenador or la entrenadora (coach)

Here is a list of equipment and clothing items.

1. La pelota (ball)
2. La raqueta (racket)
3. El marco (frame)
4. El cordaje (strings)
5. La empuñadura (handle)
6. Las zapatillas (sneakers)
7. Los pantalones cortos (shorts)
8. La falda (skirt)
9. La camiseta (T-shirt)
10. Los calcetines (socks)
11. La gorra (cap)
12. La visera (visor)
13. La cinta de pelo (headband)
14. La muñequera (wristband)

Playing Tennis

Now let’s cover some tennis vocabulary in Spanish related to the courts and games.

Tennis Courts

1. La pista de tenis (tennis court)
2. La pista de tierra batida (clay tennis court)
3. La pista de hierba (grass court)
4. La pista rápida or la pista dura (hard court)
5. La pista de moqueta (carpet court)
6. La línea de fondo (baseline)
7. La línea de servicio (service line)
8. La línea lateral (side line)
9. La línea central (center line)
10. La línea centro de servicio (center service line)
11. El cuadro de saque or la zona de saque (service box)
12. El pasillo lateral (alley)
13. La red (net)

Tennis Shots

1. El saque (service, serve)
2. El lanzamiento (toss)
3. El golpe de derecha (forehand)
4. El golpe de revés or el revés (backhand)
5. El globo or la vaselina (lob)
6. La dejada (drop short)
7. La volea (volley)
8. El remate (smash)
9. El error no forzado (unforced error)
10. El efecto cortado or el slice (slice)
11. El efecto cortado or el slice (slice)
12. El efecto de retroceso or el retroceso (backspin)
13. El efecto plano or el golpe plano (flat)
14. El liftado (topspin)

Tennis Faults and Score System

1. La puntuación (score)
2. El punto (point)
3. El juego (game)
4. El set (set)
5. El empate (tie)
6. El desempate (tiebreak)
7. La falta (fault)
8. La falta doble (double fault)
9. La falta de pie (foot fault)
10. El ace (ace)
11. El bagel (bagel)
12. El punto de partido (match point)
13. El punto de set (set point)
14. El punto de break (break point)
15. Out or fuera (out)
16. El marcador (scoreboard)
17. El ojo de halcón (hawk eye)
18. La ventaja (advantage)
19. La desventaja (disadvantage)
20. El acercamiento (approach shot)

In tennis, you win a game by earning four points. Then six games win a set and two or three sets win a match. This is how the scoring system works.

For ties, the word iguales (all) is used.

Exercises

Here are some exercises to practice tennis vocabulary in Spanish. Feel like reviewing more sports vocabulary? In our blog, you can also find exercises with baseball, basketball, cricket, golf, ice hockey or soccer vocabulary.