deportista vs. atlético/-ca
How do you use these two words? Do they mean the same to you? (I know "deportista" can be a noun, but here let's regard it as an adjective.)
3 Answers
To me "deportista" as an adjective means something like "sporty"; "enthusiastic about sports", etc. This type of person or people could be a soccer/football or baseball fanatic or something like that, regardless of his/her own physical fitness. "Atlético" is more like our word "athletic", and seems to be used more to describe someone who is themselves an athlete or in good shape, such as an actual football player, runner, etc.
Los caballos de pura sangre inglés son muy atléticos pero no son deportistas.
(Thoroughbred horses are very athletic but they are not sportsmen. )
El alimentación del deportista es muy importante para que se mantiene en forma.
( Norurishment is very important in order to keep a sportsperson fit).
Deportista means an athlete (someone who is actually playing an organized sport). And yes it's a noun el/la deportista.
Atletico/a is descriptive. You are saying that the person is athletic. Yo soy muy atletica.
