How do you say "basketball" in Japanese?

バスケットボール

basukettobōru

Noun Katakana

In Japanese, "basketball" is バスケットボール (basukettobōru).

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Pronunciation

バスケットボール is written using katakana. Romanised as basukettobōru, it sounds roughly like "bah-soo-keht-toh-boh-roo" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

Basukettobōru is katakana for basketball. Team sports adopted English names alongside the games themselves.

Example sentence

新しいバスケットボールを買いました。

Atarashii Basukettobōru wo kaimashita.

I bought a new basketball.

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How to remember バスケットボール

Basket ball in Japanese form. A high-scoring team sport.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more sports words.

Questions about バスケットボール

How do you pronounce バスケットボール?

バスケットボール is romanised as basukettobōru. Say it roughly like "bah-soo-keht-toh-boh-roo" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is バスケットボール formal or casual?

バスケットボール is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.

How is バスケットボール written in Japanese?

バスケットボール is written using katakana. Basukettobōru is katakana for basketball.

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

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"Basketball" in other languages

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