The Sport Vocabulary in Turkish

Sports are a significant part of Turkish culture, and learning sports-related vocabulary can enrich your Turkish fluency and understanding of daily conversations. Whether you’re discussing football matches or planning a workout session, this guide will equip you with the essential terms and practical examples to use. Haydi, öğrenelim! (Let’s learn!)

Basic Sport Vocabulary in Turkish

Full-Sentence Examples

1. Maçın sonunda takım 3-2 kazanarak zafer elde etti. (The team achieved victory with a 3-2 win at the end of the match.)
2. Antrenör yeni antrenman programı hazırlıyor. (The coach is preparing a new training program.)
3. Hakem oyuna penaltı verdi. (The referee awarded a penalty in the game.)
4. Çok sayıda seyirci tribünleri doldurdu. (A large number of spectators filled the stands.)
5. Sporcuların dayanıklılığını artırmak için sprint çalışması yapılıyor. (Athletes are doing sprint exercises to improve their stamina.)
6. Yeni sezonda Şampiyon olmak için takım daha fazla turnuvada oynayacak. (The team will play more tournaments to become champions in the new season.)
7. Basketbol maçında çok sayıda dripling yapıldı. (Many dribbles were made during the basketball match.)
8. Isınma hareketlerinden sonra antrenman başlayacak. (The training will start after the warm-up exercises.)
9. Rakip takım son dakika gol attı. (The opposing team scored a goal in the last minute.)
10. Madalya kazanan sporcular mutlulukla poz verdi. (The athletes who won medals posed happily.)

Idioms Using Sport Vocabulary

1. Maça son dakikada dahil olmak – (To join the game at the last minute)
   • This idiom refers to entering a situation or starting to participate at the last moment.
2. Gol yemek – (To concede a goal)
   • This idiom can also mean failing or being caught unprepared in daily life.
3. Ligden düşmek – (To fall out of the league)
   • Used metaphorically to describe losing status or failing in a competition.
4. Topu taca atmak – (To throw the ball out of play)
   • This idiom refers to avoiding responsibility or delaying a decision.
5. Kendi kalesine gol atmak – (To score an own goal)
   • Used to describe unintentionally harming oneself while trying to achieve something.

The Most Common Sports in Turkey

Turkey has a rich sports culture, with football being the most popular sport. Below is a table of common sports in Turkey with their Turkish names:

Full-Sentence Examples

1. Türkiye’de futbol, en popüler spor dalıdır ve her hafta sonu milyonlarca insan maç izler. (Football is the most popular sport in Turkey, and millions of people watch matches every weekend.)
2. Galatasaray ve Fenerbahçe arasındaki derbi maçı, büyük bir ilgiyle takip edildi. (The derby match between Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe was followed with great interest.)
3. Basketbol ligindeki takımlar, Avrupa’da da büyük başarılar elde ediyor. (Teams in the basketball league are achieving great success in Europe.)
4. Sahilde oynanan voleybol turnuvası, tatilcilerin keyifli anlar yaşamasını sağladı. (The volleyball tournament on the beach provided enjoyable moments for holidaymakers.)
5. Genç sporcular güreş antrenmanlarına katılarak milli takım için hazırlanıyor. (Young athletes are participating in wrestling training to prepare for the national team.)

After learning the sport vocabulary in Turkish, keep learning new words: discover how to talk about countries, nationalities & languages in Turkish.