Talking about sports in French
Sport is one of the easiest topics for small talk in Canada: hockey in winter, the Canadiens in Montréal, weekend runs and soccer with the kids. Knowing the basic vocabulary helps you join in at work, follow the news and make friends.
This guide covers the verbs you need, common sports and places, how to talk about your routine, and how the topic can come up in TEF Canada and TCF Canada.
Jouer, faire or pratiquer?
Use "jouer au" or "jouer à la" for games and team sports: "je joue au hockey", "je joue au tennis". Use "faire du", "faire de la" or "faire de l'" for most other activities: "je fais du vélo", "je fais de la natation". "Pratiquer un sport" works for any sport and sounds a little more formal.
- Je joue au soccer le samedi.: I play soccer on Saturdays. (in France, "le foot")
- Elle fait du ski chaque hiver.: She goes skiing every winter.
- Tu pratiques un sport ?: Do you play any sports?
Common sports and places
The words you'll see on community centre schedules and sign-up forms.
- le hockey sur glace: ice hockey
- la natation: swimming
- la course à pied: running
- le patinage: skating
- un aréna: an indoor rink (Québec usage)
- une piscine: a swimming pool
- un centre sportif: a sports centre
Talking about your routine and results
Combine frequency words with sports to describe your habits, and use a few reaction phrases when you're watching a game.
- Je cours trois fois par semaine.: I run three times a week.
- Je m'entraîne le matin.: I train in the morning.
- Qui a gagné le match ?: Who won the game?
- Ils ont perdu de justesse.: They lost by a narrow margin.
- Quel but !: What a goal!
Sports in TEF Canada and TCF Canada
Sports and leisure appear in everyday documents such as activity schedules, club announcements and registration forms. In speaking, asking about a sports club's hours and prices, or convincing a friend to join an activity, are realistic situations to practise.
Prepare questions about schedules, prices, levels and equipment, and a few reasons to recommend an activity: health, meeting people, staying active in winter. Check the official exam sites for the current task formats.
French and sports: common questions
Is it "jouer au soccer" or "jouer au football"?
In Canada, "le soccer" is the usual word, and "le football" usually means North American football. In France, "le foot" or "le football" means soccer.
When do I use "jouer" and when "faire"?
"Jouer à" for games and team sports, "faire de" for most other activities. If you're unsure, "pratiquer" works for any sport.
Is hockey vocabulary the same in Québec and France?
Mostly, but hockey culture is much stronger in Canada, so you'll hear more of it. Québec often uses "aréna" for an indoor rink, where France says "patinoire".