Sport can be a great way for you to practice a language, whether you are watching sport live when visiting a country or catching an international game at home! But if Italian is your language of choice, or you’re thinking about what sports you can follow if you’ve planned a trip to Italy this year, what should you choose? Here are the most popular sports in Italy, and a little language for each to get you started.
Photo via Pexels
Football
It would be difficult to imagine any other sport being as popular in Italy as football is. There are even those who might suggest football in Italy is more religion than sport; that is for you to decide when you visit! Serie A is the premier league, which has been operating for more than 80 years. Twenty clubs compete within the league currently, with famous names like Juventus and Milan ones you likely already know. Italy’s national squad, known as the Azzurri for their blue shirts, have won four World Cups, second only to Brazil. Italian football is a passionate, vibrant sport, so to prepare yourself for a day on the Italian terraces, here is a little vocabulary.
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For the team:
la squadra — team
l’ala — outside forward (winger)
il difensore — defender
lo stopper — inside defender
il difensore esterno — outside defender
il centrocampista — midfield player
la mezz’ala — inside forward (striker)
l’attaccante — striker
il portiere — goalkeeper
il libero — sweeper
il guardalinee — linesman
l’allenatore — coach
l’arbitro — referee
la riserva (il giocatore di reserva) — substitute
And for the game:
tifosi – fans
il calcio d’angolo (il corner) — corner (corner kick)
il calcio di punizione — free kick
il calcio di rigore (il rigore) — penalty (penalty kick)
il calcio di rinvio — goal kick
il campo di/da calcio — field
il cartellino giallo (per l’ammonizione) — yellow card
il cartellino rosso (per l’espulsione) — red card
il dischetto del calcio di rigore — penalty spot
il colpo di testa — header
il dribbling — dribble
il fallo — foul
il fuorigioco — offside
il gol — goal
il palo (il palo della porta) — post (goalpost)
il parastinchi — shin guard
il passaggio diretto (della palla) — pass (passing the ball)
il passaggio corto — short pass
l’ammonizione — sending-off
l’area di rigore — penalty area
l’arresto (della palla) — receiving the ball (taking a pass)
l’ostruzione — obstruction
la bandierina di calcio d’angolo — corner flag
la linea di fondo — goal line
la linea di metà campo — half-way line
la linea laterale — touch line
la partita — match
la respinta di pugno — save with the fists
la rimessa laterale — throw-in
la traversa — crossbar
lo stadio — stadium
segnare un gol — to score a goal
Photo via Wikimedia
Basketball
Italy boasts having one of the best basketball teams outside of the U.S. overall and is also one of the most consistent winners of the EuroLeague. The Lega Basket Series A is the professional league of basketball in Italy, consisting of 16 competing teams. Both Marco Belinelli of the Golden State Warriors and Danilo Gallinari of the New York Knicks started their careers in Lega before joining the NBA. Today, the most prolific winners of Lega are Olimpia Milano and Virtus Bologna, with 28 and 15 league wins respectively. If you would prefer some lower league action to learn what a more local Italian basketball game feels like, then head to a game in the Serie A2 instead. There is lots of basketball for you to watch in Italy!
Here’s a little basketball terminology to get you by.
Squadra — team
Pallacanestro — basketball
Giocatore di pallacanestro — basketball player
Passaggio — pass
Torneo — tournament
Campionato — championship
Tiro — shot
Canestro — basket
Seed — seed
Stracciare — upset
Sfavorito — underdog
Schiacciata — dunk
Layup — layup
Palleggio — dribble
Schema — bracket
Partita — match
Arbitro — referee
Tempo supplementare — overtime
Photo via Wikimedia
Volleyball
Volleyball, or Pallavolo as it is known in Italy, is a hugely popular game, and the last on our popular Italian sports list. The Italian Volleyball League is one of the most respected leagues, considered one of the most difficult and competitive in the world. SuperLega is the highest level club competition, home to 13 teams that include Sir Safety Conad Perugia and Cucine Lube Civitanova. And like basketball, Italian volleyball has an extensive Serie A2 league, if you want to watch some more local, lower league matches.
Here is some volleyball vocabulary to get you started.
For the players:
Ruolo — role
Palleggiatore, alzatore — setter
Schiacciatore-ricevitore — outside hitter
Opposto — opposite
Centrale — middle blocker
Ricettore — receiver
Attaccante — attacker
Schiacciatore — spiker
Allenatore — coach
For the game:
Battuta, servizio — serve
Ricezione — reception
Palleggio, alzata — set
Attacco — attack
Schiacciata — hit, spike
Difesa — defence
Tuffo — dig
Palla — ball
Campo — court
Linea — line
Rete — net
Partita — match
Whichever sport is your favorite here, we hope watching helps you boost your Italian — and of course that your favorite teams win!
