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French Basketball Vocabulary: 42 French Words Every Sports Fan Should Know

By Frederic Bibard Published:

3 min read

In this article, learn about French basketball vocabulary plus download the list in printer-friendly PDF format!

Basketball is one of the sports that are well-loved all over the world. If you are learning French and are a fan of this sport, French basketball vocabulary would help you discuss basketball with other French-speaking fans.

Read more to learn how to say basketball in French, and even basketball positions in French.

Here are other advantages of learning about French basketball vocabulary:

  • It’s great to learn French words by theme. Learning by theme will help you talk about this topic with other French speakers as well as understand French news articles about basketball.
  • It can help boost your motivation to learn French. If you’re a basketball fan, learning how to say basketball in French and other French basketball vocabulary would be a fun way to learn the language. As I mentioned in my book Fluent in French, to boost your motivation for learning French, you could learn French words related to topics that interest you.

Don’t have time to memorize this list now? You can also click below to download a copy of the vocabulary in PDF format.

French Basketball Vocabulary

  • l’équipe de basketbasketball team
  • un matchgame
  • un(e) basketteur/eusea basketball player
  • un joueura player
  • un pivota center (player)
  • un arrièrea guard
  • un attaquantan offensive player
  • un défenseura defensive player
  • un sauteura jumper
  • un remplacantsubstitute
  • l’arbitrereferee
  • l’équipementequipment
  • un ballon de basketbasketball
  • un terrain de jeu / le terraincourt
  • le panierbasket
  • le panier adverseopponent’s basket
  • l’anneaurim, ring, hoop
  • le panneaubackboard
  • le filetnet
  • le ballonball
  • la ligne de centrecenter line
  • la ligne de lancer francfree-throw line
  • la ligne des trois pointsthree-point line
  • le cercle centralcenter circle
  • la ligne de fondendline
  • la ligne de touchesideline
  • hors jeuxout of bounds
  • un tira shot
  • un tir-crocheta hook shot
  • la fautefoul
  • la passepass
  • le rebondrebound
  • la rentréethrow-in
  • lancerto throw
  • attraperto catch
  • marquerto mark
  • faire un dunkto dunk the ball
  • tirerto shoot
  • bloquerto block
  • faire rebondirto bounce
  • dribblerto dribble
  • sauterto jump
  • une pom-pom girla cheerleader

Sports is always a good topic no matter which part of the world you’re in. If you’d rather discuss football (or soccer, depends on you), check out this article instead:

French Football Vocabulary

Or you can check out this article for general sports terms:

French Sports Vocabulary

Want to learn more French vocabulary by theme? Check out the most comprehensive French vocabulary review e-book below!

Want to use this in real conversations?In the French Accelerator, a coach corrects you live, every week, until speaking feels natural.
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