Essential Swimming Vocabulary in Spanish (100+ Words!)

Have you ever wondered how to say “swim” in Spanish? Would you like to learn some useful and popular swimming terms? 

If your answer to those questions are yes and yes, then you’re at the right place! 

Today, I’ll introduce you to all things related to swimming in Spanish. From the most basic swimming terminology, to swimming-related verbs and swimming phrases. 

Keep reading to learn helpful swim words for your next swimming lesson in Spanish. 

Also, here you’ll find out about indoor and outdoor swimming pools, oceans, lakes, and other bodies of water where you can swim!

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Spanish Vocabulary for Your Swimming Lessons

Before starting to swim, people usually take a few swimming lessons. So, let’s begin by learning some essential swimming terms you may hear during your swimming classes. 

Swimming Terminology

The following is a list of some of the most common swim words in Spanish. 

Verbs for Swimming

Some of the most important words to describe swimming in Spanish are verbs. So, let’s now find out the most common swimming-related verbs in Spanish. 

Swimming Styles

Some of the most important swimming terms you may hear in a swimming lesson are the different swimming styles.

Swimming Phrases

If you want to swim in Spanish you’ll need to learn some commons swimming phrases and questions like these: 

Example Spanish Conversations Between Swimming Instructor and Student

With all the new vocabulary you just learned, let’s try to put it together in a couple of example conversations between a swimming instructor and a student. 

Spanish Dialogue 1 (with English Translation)

– Hola, ¿es tu primera clase?

– Hola, sí. 

– ¿Sabes nadar?

– No. 

– No tengas miedo, ¡tú puedes hacerlo!

– Gracias. ¿A qué hora empieza la clase?

– A las 4:00 pm.

—

– Hi, is your first lesson?

– Hi, yes. 

– Do you know how to swim?

– No. 

– Don’t be afraid; you can do it!

– Thank you. What time does the lesson start?

– At 4:00 pm.

Spanish Dialogue 2 (with English Translation)

– Vamos a empezar la clase. 

– ¡Genial!

– Para calentar vamos a mover los brazos en círculos. 

– ¿Así, profesor?

– ¡Así, muy bien!

– Ahora, cada uno de ustedes tiene que nadar 200 metros estilo mariposa. 

– ¡Entendido!

—

– We’re going to start the lesson. 

– That’s great!

– To warm up, we’re going to move our arms in circles. 

– Like this, teacher?

– Like that, very good!

– Now, each of you must swim 200 meters butterfly stroke.

– Got it!

Swimming in a Pool: Spanish Vocabulary

So, how do you say swimming pool in Spanish? 

In this section, I’m introducing you to the most useful Spanish vocabulary for swimming pools. 

Indoor Swimming Pools

Let’s start with the swimming terms mostly used in indoor swimming pools.  

Outdoor Swimming Pools

If you want to swim in Spanish, you’re going to need some vocabulary for outdoor swimming pools too. 

Swimming in the Ocean: Spanish Vocabulary

Finally, you can also swim in the ocean and other natural bodies of water such as lakes, rivers or even sacred cenotes!

Other Ocean-Based Activities

Last but not least, here you have some vocabulary that isn’t about exactly swim in Spanish, but about other activities that you can also practice in the ocean. 

At this point, I strongly recommend you to read Talk About Your Trip to the Beach, which includes more useful vocabulary about beach-related topics and activities. 

Start Using These Essential Swimming Terms in Spanish

There are plenty of swimming terms in Spanish in this post. 

Practice them and start introducing them into your conversations about swimming and how to swim in Spanish. That way, the next time you go to a sunny Spanish-speaking beach town, you’ll be ready to actually “swim in Spanish!”

You’re Doing Swimmingly!

Now you know a ton of swimming in Spanish vocabulary. Keep up the good work in Spanish! Take a free class with a friendly, certified, native-speaking teacher at Homeschool Spanish Academy (see also: #1 on this list). With over a decade of experience and more than 20,000 active students, we know how to give each person the Spanish content they need to attain Spanish fluency.

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Luis F. Dominguez

Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy

Luis F. Domínguez is a freelance writer and independent journalist interested in travel, languages, art, books, history, philosophy, politics and sports. He has written for Fodor’s, Yahoo!, Sports Illustrated, Telemundo, and Villa Experience, among other brands of print and digital media in Europe and North America.

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