All You Need to Know About Hockey in Spanish
Despite the lack of snow in Latin America, we still enjoy watching hockey and discussing it in Spanish.
Along with watching ice hockey, we love to get outside to play field hockey or street hockey
If you’re a hockey fan that wants to learn all the terms, words, and slang related to Hockey in Spanish, you’ve come to the right place!
Kinds of Hockey
Did you know that there are over 20 different ways to play hockey? Most of the variants have small changes, like the terrain or the equipment. But that doesn’t mean that it can’t get crazy out there. Let’s look at a list of the most common hockey variants in Spanish, with some wacky stuff sprinkled in.
Are you a basketball fan, too? Check out: Sports in Spanish: Basketball Vocabulary
Ice Hockey
El hockey sobre hielo is the sport most people think of when they hear the word “hockey”. It’s Canada’s national sport, and it’s been around for over 100 years! Ice hockey is a fast-paced and violent sport, which means that all players, especially the goalie, wear special protective gear to keep themselves safe.
Roller Hockey
El hockey en patines is a more accessible version for hockey players, especially in Latin America. Since you can’t really play ice hockey in Latin America without a special court, roller hockey is more popular on playgrounds and parks. Just grab your roller skates, hockey stick, and puck and you can play this in small courts in parks all over the place.
Field Hockey
El hockey sobre césped, also known as el hockey sobre hierba, is another great way to play hockey without ice. This one has the added bonus of not requiring roller blades either! You can play field hockey on a small soccer field with regular soccer clothes. Instead of a puck, el hockey sobre césped uses a small ball, and the sticks are shorter and look like a hook, allowing you to execute fast maneuvers and turns that other kinds of hockey wish they could achieve.
Other Kinds of Hockey
Air Hockey
El hockey de mesa is a fan favorite in arcades and sports clubs. This game is played on a small table with a light hockey puck that moves swiftly through the court. It’s a fun two-player experience to play with your friends and family, not unlike foosball.
Subaquatic Hockey
This strange sport, el hockey subacuático, is played on a pool, with a special hockey stick and a 2.6lb hockey puck that sinks to the bottom. This game is for good swimmers who can hold their breath and keep their cool while they’re at it!
Street Hockey
Hockey callejero is different from regular hockey. It’s played on a concrete surface without the regular protective gear most players use. This makes this game less violent and high-contact than regular ice hockey, which contradicts the usually rough nature of “street” variants of games like soccer and basketball.
Hockey Vocabulary in Spanish
Hockey Court
See also: Know the Field! Soccer Positions in Spanish
| English | Spanish |
| Rink | La pista |
| Rink zones | Las zonas de la pista |
| Neutral zone | La zona neutral |
| Defending zone | La zona defensiva |
| Offensive zone | La zona ofensiva |
| Net | La red |
| Goal | La portería / El arco |
Equipment
| English | Spanish |
| Helmet | El casco |
| Mouthguard | El cubreboca |
| Neck guard | El cubrecuello |
| Jersey | La camisola |
| Shoulder pads | Las hombreras |
| Elbow pads | Las coderas |
| Gloves | Los guantes |
| Hockey stick | El palo de hockey |
| Hockey pants | Los pantalones de hockey |
| Shin pads | Las espinilleras |
| Skates | Los patines |
| Hockey socks | Los calcetines de hockey |
| Leg pads | Los protectores de pierna |
| Hockey mask | La máscara de hockey |
| Sweater | El sueter |
| Puck | El disco de hockey |
Hockey Slang
| English | Spanish |
| Assists | Las asistencias |
| Backhand | El tiro de revés |
| Boarding | La carga contra la barda |
| Body checking | La carga legal |
| Breakaway | El contragolpe |
| Charging | La carga ilegal |
| Deke | La finta |
| Drop pass | El pase atrasado |
| Face-off | El duelo |
| Icing | Congelar el disco |
| Interference | La interferencia |
| Headmanning | El pase adelantado |
| Power play | La ventaja numérica |
| Slap shot | El cañonazo |
| Wrist shot | El muñecazo / El tiro de muñeca |
| Screen shot | El tiro de pantalla |
Hockey Players
| English | Spanish |
| Referee | El árbitro |
| Goaltender | El portero |
| Left defenseman | El defensor izquierdo |
| Right defenseman | El defensor derecho |
| Left winger | El extremo izquierdo |
| Right winger | El extremo derecho |
| Center | El jugador central |
Hockey Popularity in Latin America
Thanks to the internet, many sports franchises have gained new and unexpected fan bases all around the world. Hockey is no exception!
What’s more, Hispanic hockey players are becoming more common—as well as trainers and team CEOs. Some countries, like Colombia, have national hockey teams without having an ice rink of their own, which shows how passionate Latin Americans can be about sports.
And it’s all the more reason to learn vocabulary for hockey in Spanish!
Hockey Sentences in Spanish
Here are some translated phrases for you to practice your vocabulary for hockey in Spanish.
Yo juego hockey cada domingo.
I play hockey every Saturday.
Me gusta el fútbol casi tanto como me gusta el hockey.
I like soccer almost as much as I like hockey.
Compré nuevos patines ayer, ¿quieres jugar un juego de hockey?
I bought new skates yesterday. Do you want to play a hockey game?
Vamos a tener un juego de hockey de césped este fin de semana si quieres venir.
We’re having a field hockey game this weekend if you’d like to come.
¡El portero logró una atajada sorprendente!
The goaltender was able to pull off an amazing save!
Cuidado con el jugador del centro, tiene un cañonazo fuerte.
Be careful with the center, he has a strong slap shot.
¡El árbitro no se percató de la carga ilegal de Jhonson hacia Ramirez, eso es injusto!
The referee didn’t notice Johnson charging Ramirez, that’s unfair!
La asistencia de Pedro vino en el momento justo, logramos emparejar el puntaje antes del medio tiempo.
Pedro’s assist came in clutch, we were able to even the score out before halftime.
El equipo opuesto tiene un control sorprendente de la zona neutral.
The opposing team has amazing control over the neutral zone.
La niña que atendió el juego intercambió el disco de hockey por una caja de dulces.
The little girl attending the game traded the puck for a box of candy.
Practice Spanish Vocabulary with a Native Speaker
If you’re ready to practice your sports vocabulary in real-time, sign up today for a free class with one of our certified Spanish teachers. With over 24,000 monthly active students, our teachers are equipped to teach you Spanish and customize your curriculum to fit your needs! Boost your fluency, no matter what level you’re at, by learning in a flexible, immersive online class.
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