Useful French Sport Vocabulary Paris 2024 Olympics
The Olympic Games in Paris 2024 “les Jeux Olympiques” will be held between July 26th and September 8th 2024. There is no better time to learn French since it will be one of the two official languages of the Olympic games (along with English).
Paris 2024 will be the first Summer Games organized in a French-speaking city since Montreal 1976. It is a historic opportunity to put the official language of the international Olympic games in a better place in the decor.
In this week’s post I am sharing some useful French vocabulary related to the different events of the Olympic Games. Then, we will go through some general French terms and expressions to talk about the Olympics games.
Ready, set, go!
1-French vocabulary; Olympic Games sports Paris 2024
Sports Olympiques - Olympic Sports
Le Tir à l’arc - Archery
Le Badminton - Badminton
Le Basket-ball - Basketball
Le Volley-ball de plage - Beach Volleyball
La Boxe - Boxing
L’Escrime - Fencing
Le Football - Football
Le Golf - Golf
Le Handball - Handball
Le Hockey - Hockey
Le Judo - Judo
Le Pentathlon moderne - Modern Pentathlon
L’Aviron - Rowing
Le Rugby - Rugby
La Voile - Sailing
Le Tir - Shooting
Le Tennis de table - Table Tennis
Le Taekwondo - Taekwondo
Le Tennis - Tennis
Le Triathlon - Triathlon
Le Volley-ball - Volleyball
L’Haltérophilie- Weightlifting
L’Athlétisme - Athletics (Track and Field)
Le 100 Mètres - 100 Meter Dash
Le 110 Mètres haies - 110 Meter Hurdles
La Marche sur route - Race Walk
Le Steeple - Steeplechase
Le Relais Relay - Relay
Le Décathlon - Decathlon
Le Disque - Discus Throw
Le Marteau - Hammer Throw
Le Saut en hauteur - High Jump
Le Javelot - Javelin Throw
Le Marathon - Marathon
Le Saut en longeur - Long Jump
Le Saut à la perche - Pole Vault
Le Poids - Shot Put
Le Triple saut - Triple Jump
La natation - Swimming
Le Plongeon - Diving
La Natation synchronisée - Synchronized Swimming
Le Water-polo - Water Polo
Le Dos - Backstroke
La Brasse - Breaststroke
Le Papillon - Butterfly stroke
La Nage libre - Freestyle
Les Quatre nages individuel - Individual Medley
Le Relais nage libre - Freestyle Relay
Le Relais quatre nages - Medley Relay
La Natation de marathon - Marathon Swimming
Le Canoë/Kayak - Canoeing/Kayak
Le Canoë slalom - Canoe Slalom
Le Canoë sprint - Canoe Sprint
Cyclisme - Cycling
Le Vélo BMX - Cycling BMX
Le Vélo tout terrain - Cycling Mountain Bike
Le Cyclisme sur route - Cycling Road
Le Cyclisme sur piste - Cycling Track
L’Équitation - Equestrian
Les Sports équestres / Dressage - Equestrian / Dressage
Les Sports équestres Concours complet - Equestrian Eventing
Les Sports équestres Saut d’obstacles - Equestrian Jumping
La Gymnastique - Gymnastics
La Gymnastique rythmique - Rhythmic Gymnastics
La Gymnastique artistique – Artistic Gymnastics
Le Trampoline -Trampoline
Les Exercices au sol - Floor exercises
La Barre fixe - Horizontal Bar
Le Concours multiple individuel - Individual All-round
Les Barres parallèles - Parallel Bars
Le Cheval d’arçons - Pommel Horse
Les Anneaux - Rings
La Compétition par équipes - Team Competition
Le Saut de cheval - Vault
La Poutre - Beam
Les Barres asymétriques - Uneven Bars
La Lutte - Wrestling
La Lutte libre - Freestyle Wrestling
La Lutte gréco-romaine - Greco-Roman Wrestling
2 - Useful Terms to speak about the Olympics Games
Paris 2024 is a great opportunity to learn more French vocabulary about sports in general, but also about the different events. Besides the events, there are many new words and verbs to learn if you would like to be able to understand or even be able to speak about the Olympics. From the opening ceremony la cérémonie d’ouverture to the Olympics torch relai la flame Olympique and other terms, take a look at the vocabulary and useful terms below:
Les jeux Olympiques (Les JO) - The Olympics
La flamme Olympique - Olympic flame
Une épreuve – an event
L’épeuve de…..- the….event ( for example : l’épreuve de natation – the swimming event)
Une course – a race
Une compétition – a competition
Un compétiteur – a competitor ( M)
Une compétitrice – a competitor ( F)
Un /une athlète – an athlete
Un médaillé olympique - Olympic medalist
Un arbitre - referee
Un entraineur -trainer, coach
Un membre du jury - judge
Un spectateur – spectator
Un stade - stadium
Un siège - seat
La cérémonie d’ouverture - opening ceremony
La cérémonie de cloture - closing ceremony
Une délégation - delegation
Une médaille - medal
Une médaille d’or- gold medal
Une médaille d’argent - silver medal
Une médaille de bronze - bronze medal
Gagner / remporter une épreuve - to win an event
Arriver en premier, second - to arrive/get there first, second
Gagner une médaille - to win a medal
Here are a few useful sentences to talk about your tickets
J’ai réservé mon billet en ligne - I booked my ticket online
Je cherche le QR code - I am looking for the QR code
Où est ma place?- where is my seat ?
J’ai trois billets - I have three tickets
C’est quel rangée? - Which row is it?
C’est quel numéro? - Which number is it?
Où est la station de métro ?- Where is the metro station ?
Où est la station de taxi – Where is the taxi station ?
3 - Paris 2024 : Key dates
Paris is gearing up for a summer of sports, take a look at the key dates leading up to the start of the 2024 Summer Games.
May 8, 2024: Arrival of the Olympic flame in Marseille
July 14, 2024: Arrival of the Olympic flame in Paris
July 24, 2024: Start of events
July 26, 2024: Olympic Games opening ceremony
August 11, 2024: Olympic Games closing ceremony
August 28, 2024: Paralympic Games opening ceremony
September 8, 2024: Paralympic Games closing ceremony
4 – Learn French in Paris during the Paris 2024 Olympics games
Whether you need to learn or brush up your French to be able to get by whilst you will be visiting Paris, or you would like to speak in French about the Olympics, French à La carte offers private and tailor-made private French lessons in Paris and online.
French à La Carte: Personalized French lessons for visitors during Paris 2024
We offer private lessons to:
Help you get by and enjoy your stay in Paris: order in a restaurant, take the metro, speak with sales assistants etc
Be able to speak in French about the event you saw and express your emotions
Immerse yourself in Parisian neighborhoods and practice your French at the same time
Flexible private French lessons :
Lessons in person and online
Lessons 7 days a week
From 8 am to 9 pm