A park is such a simple, childlike place. It is somewhere to relax, play, and have fun. Imagine heading to a park in a foreign country, enjoying the sites and, oh yeah, having no idea how to describe anything. Chances are you learned the word for park (parque) and nothing else related to it. Here are some helpful vocabulary words in Spanish for a day in the park.
Translating 16 Playground Spanish Words to English
1. Columpiarse / hamacarse – to swing (most countries use columpiarse, I have only heard hamacarse in Argentina)
2. Columpio / hamaca – a swing (the noun)
3. Pasamanos – monkey bars
4. Sube y baja – seesaw, this is pronounced slurred together as in subibaja
5. Tobogán, chorrera – playground slide
6. Bicicleta – bicycle
7. Patineta – skateboard
8. Patines – skates
9. Rollers – rollerblades (only used in some countries, such as Argentina)
10. Pelota, bola, balón – ball
11. Tirarse una pelota – to play catch
12. Manta – blanket (in case you want to go on a picnic, which is also “picnic” in Spanish)
13. Camino – path
14. Cesto, tacho, basurero, zafacón – trashcan (more here in this trash can post)
15. Cesped, grama, pasto – grass (more here in this Grass post)
16. Cancha – sports field
17. Rayuela, Peregrina – hopscotch is one of the playground games with the most names in Spanish-speaking countries.
Also, if you are in Latin America, there is a good chance you can catch a pick-up game of soccer (fútbol) and just join in. You might want to keep in mind the popularity of the sport, though, before you join in and make a fool of yourself!
Check out these other English Spanish articles.
