The Ultimate Vocabulary Guide to Water Skiing and Sports in Spanish
Summer is here, and the blue skies, and hot weather means there’s no better moment to practice el esquí acuatico—water skiing in Spanish—plus a whole lot more water sports!
Water sports are not only fun to watch and practice but also beneficial for your physical and mental health. Whether you want to relax or have an adventure, there’s a watersport for you.
Read this blog post to learn how to talk about water skiing in Spanish, as well as vocabulary related to other water sports! Let’s dive in!
9 Amazing Water Sports to Practice this Summer
Picture this: you’re on vacation in a Spanish-speaking country enjoying a cool beverage and perfect weather. You’re super relaxed and not thinking about work or school. The sun is high in the sky and the clear blue water is tempting you.
If you’re craving fun and adrenaline, this list of water sports in Spanish is ideal for you!
See also: Vocabulary Guide to Swimming in Spanish
1. Water Skiing in Spanish
Water skiing involves being pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation over a large body of water, and skimming the surface on one or two skis. It requires upper and lower body strength, endurance, and balance.
| Spanish | English |
| Los esquís | Skis |
| Los fijadores | Binding |
| El chaleco salvavidas | Floatation device |
| Las cuerdas de remolque | Tow ropes |
| El barco de remolque | Towing boat |
2. Surfing
Similar to water skiing in Spanish, El surfeo (surfing) is another surface water sport that consists of using a board to ride the “face” of a moving wave of water to get to the shore.
Las tablas de surfeo (surfboards) may be made of wood or synthetic materials like polypropylene plastic.
| Spanish | English |
| La tabla Malibú | Funboard |
| La tabla evolutiva | Evolutive board |
| La tabla cortas | Shortboard |
| La tabla areneras | Sandboard |
| La tabla de remo | Paddleboard |
| La tabla de cuerpo | Bodyboard |
| La tabla de rodillas | Kneeboard |
3. Windsurfing
Windsurfing—windsurf in Spanish—is also known as sailboarding or boardsailing. This sport is the combination of surfing and sailing. It is really popular in flat water locations that offer safety and accessibility for newcomers and intermediate participants.
El windsurf has two modalities:
- Carreras – Racing
- Montando – Riding
If you like to be in control, stay over the water and just have a great time under the heat of the sun and the fresh ocean breeze, this sport is for you!
| Spanish | English |
| La tabla de windsurf | Windsurfing board |
| La vela | Sail |
| El mastil | Mast |
| El pie de mastil | Mastil foot |
| La botavara | Boom |
| La aleta/El alerón | Fin |
| La orza abatible | Folding centerboard |
| El arnés | Harness |
| Las cinchas de sujeción | Foot straps |
| El adaptador | Adapter |
| La driza | Halyard |
| El calzado | Footwear |
| El casco | Helmet |
| El salvavidas | Personal flotation device |
| El equipo de seguridad | Safety gear |
4. Cliff Jumping
Are you an adrenaline junky? If so, el salto de acantilado (cliff jumping) is the perfect sport for you! It’s a form of coastal exploration activity known as coasteering.
Cliff diving is not for the faint of heart! Imagine freefalling from such a great height and feeling the wind against your body, the butterflies in your stomach as you approach the water and then… silence.
Imagine being underwater. The sound of water rushing to your ears, the coolness of it enveloping your body, and then the breakthrough in the surface. Doesn’t it feel amazing?
Here are some of the most impressive spots to practice cliff jumping in Latin America:
- Las cascadas de Tamanique, El Salvador (Tamanique falls)
- Los cenotes de Yucatán – Yucatan, Mexico (Yucatan Cenotes)
- Finca el Paraíso – Río Dulce, Guatemala (Paradise Estate)
- La Fortuna Falls in Costa Rica
- El cañón de Somoto, Nicaragua (Somoto Canyon)
- Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala (Lake Atitlan)
5. Scuba Diving
El submarinismo (scuba diving) is a mode of underwater diving that requires special equipment to be able to breathe underwater.
Scuba stands for Self-contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus, and it dates back to 1952. Scuba divers carry their own source of oxygen, which gives them greater freedom of movement than other kinds of divers.
| Spanish | English |
| La máscara de buceo | Diving mask |
| El tubo respirador | Snorkel |
| El traje de neopreno, el traje seco | Wetsuit, drysuit |
| Los guantes de buceo | Scuba gloves |
| Las aletas | Fins |
| El tanque de buceo | Scuba tank |
| El regulador | Regulator |
| El medidor de profundidad | Depth gauge |
| El manómetro sumergible | Submersible Pressure Gauge (SPG) |
| La brújula | Compass |
| La computadora de buceo | Dive computer |
6. Snorkeling
El buceo (snorkeling) is a popular recreational activity, usually practiced in tropical sites like Roatán or Cancún. The best part of snorkeling is the opportunity it gives you to be in direct contact with marine life and ecosystems.
Here are some examples of how to talk about snorkeling in Spanish:
Mi mamá y yo fuimos a Roatán a bucear este verano.
My mom and I went to Roatán to practice snorkeling this summer.
Para practicar buceo no necesitas mucha experiencia.
To practice snorkeling, you don’t need much experience.
Me gusta hacer buceo porque no necesito un tanque de oxígeno.
I like snorkeling because I don’t need a breathing tank.
7. Aquajogging
Known in both Spanish and English as aquajogging, this water sport consists of a cross training and rehabilitation method that uses low-impact resistance training. Aquajogging is perfect to practice when injured or if you have joint problems.
This water sport requires two pieces of equipment:
- Calzado o zapatos de agua – Water shoes
- Cinturón de flotación – Flotation belt
8. Canoeing
Can you imagine floating in your canoe on a summer morning, in the middle of a tranquil lake, soaking up all the nature around you? Just thinking about it makes me feel relaxed and refreshed!
The name of canoeing in Spanish is canotaje. Canoeing consists of paddling lightweight narrow vessel to transport yourself over the water with a single-bladed paddle.
El canotaje is a sport, a recreational activity, and a mode of transportation.
| Spanish | English |
| La canoa | Canoe |
| El remo | Paddle |
| El traje seco | Dry suit |
| Las mangas largas | Long sleeves |
9. Rafting
Also known as canotaje, but usually referred to in Spanish as rafting, this is a water sport and recreational outdoor activity that uses an inflatable raft to navigate a body of water.
Rafting is usually done in whitewater or rough waters, which makes the experience dynamic and exciting.
Rafts measure anywhere from 3 meters (10 feet) to 4.3 meters (14 feet) and are ridden by multiple people who use paddles or oars to propel and direct the raft.
Here are some examples of how to talk about rafting:
Me gusta hacer rafting con mi familia en verano.
I like to go rafting with my family in the summer.
El rafting es divertido, pero mi hermana se asustó mucho cuando pasamos por unos rápidos la última vez.
Rafting is fun, but my sister was really scared when we went through some rapids last time.
Para practicar rafting necesitas una balsa y equipo de seguridad.
To practice rafting you need a raft and security equipment.
Time To Practice Your Spanish!
Now you can talk about your interest and passion for water sports and water skiing in Spanish! You’re ready to enjoy your summer vacations to the fullest!
Learning Spanish is as fun as practicing a sport! It’s a great way to exercise your mind and enhance your cognition and decision-making abilities. Here at Homeschool Spanish Academy, with more than 10 years of experience teaching Spanish, we have a passion for teaching Spanish. Sign up for a free trial class today with one of our native Spanish-speaking teachers, and let us help you exercise your mind and brain! We offer flexible scheduling and personalized tailored packages to cover all your needs. To make the most of your summer vacation, give it a try!
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