This is for those of you who have have to watch the NFL in Spanish on Fox or other stations. Learning the vocabulary below will help you understand what the announcers are talking about.
abucheos – boos (noise)
acarrear – to carry a ball
acarreo – a carry
aguador – waterboy
ala abierta – split end
ala cerrada – tight end
alineación titular – starting line up
anotar – to score
apoyador – linebacker
árbitro – ref
arranque en falso – off sides
atrapada –a catch
atrapar – to catch
balón suelto – fumble (noun)
banca – bench
buena posición de campo – good field position
caderera – hip pad
campo de juego – playing field
captura – sack
capturar – to sack
carga – rush
casco – helmut
castigo – penalty
cuartos – quarters (periods of time)
centro – center (lineman)
¿Con quién vas? – Who are you rooting for?
corredor – runner
defensivo – a defensive player
defensiva – defense
doble marcaje – to have two men guarding one man
doblar la esquina – turn the corner on the outside
empate – tie game
echar porra al equipo – to cheer or root for a team
entrenador – coach
engaño – a trick play
equipo favorito – favorite team
escopeta – shotgun formation
estadio – stadium
finta – a fake
fuerza excesiva – unnecessary roughness
ganar – to win
guardia – guard (lineman)
gol de campo – field goal
hombre en movimiento – a man in motion
hombrera – shoulder pad
hueco – a hole in the scrimmage line
intercepción – interception
interceptar – to intercept
jugada – a play
jugada de anotacíon – scoring play
jugada de pizzarón or de película – a picture perfect play
jugador – player
interferencia – interference
lesión– an injury
línea de golpeo – scrimmage line
lineros – linemen
marcador – score or scoreboard
marcador final– final score
marcar – to guard a player
mariscal de campo – quarterback
mascarazo – illegal grabbing of the facemask
mascarilla – facemask
medio tiempo– half time
muete súbita – sudden death
narrador or locutor – announcer
ofensiva – offense
oviode – football (the ball)
pañuelo – flag (penalty)
pasador – passer
pasar – to pass
pase – pass
pase completo – completed pass
pase incompleto – incomplete pass
patada corta – short kick or onsides quick
patada de salida – kickoff
patear – to kick
perder el balón – to fumble (verb)
pédida – a loss
primera, segunda, tercera oportunidad – fist down, second down and third down
por aire – through the air
por tierra – on the ground
postes – goal posts
postemporada – postseason
pretemporada – preseason
primer tiempo – first half
primera y diez – first and ten
profundo – safety (player)
protector bucal – mouth piece
protesta – challenge
punto extra – extra point
receptor – receiver
repeteción de jugada – replay
reserva or suplente – back up player
retorno – kick return
rodillera – knee pad
sujetando – holding
Super Tazón – Super Bowl
tabla de posciones – standings (record)
tacleada – a tackle
taclear – to tackle
temporada regular – regular season
jugador titular – a player in the starting line up
tiempo extra – overtime
¡tiempo fuera! – Time out!
uso ilegal de las manos – illegal use of the hands
utilero – equipment man
victoria – victory
zona de anotación – end zone
La ópera no ha terminado hasta que cante la gorda – The opera isn’t over until the fat lady sings
