Games and Sports

There seems to be some confusion regarding the difference between the word "game" and the word "sports." What is the difference between the two?

The word "game" refers to any activity that leads to amusement, entertainment, or something we do with friends to pass the time. Some samples of games are sipa, patintero, hide-and-seek, and activities like party games (charades, pinoy henyo, and relay activities) and board games (Trivial Pursuit, Carcassonne, Monopoly, etc.). Your favorite game can be something like hide-and-seek or Monopoly, or even an video game. Basketball is not one of your favorite games, it's one of your favorite sports.

The word "sport" or "sports," on the other hand, refers to a physical activity which has a specific set of rules that must be followed. Whereas a game is usually for entertainment and a little competition, a sport is highly competitive. Sports include basketball, boxing, baseball, billiards, football, and even martial arts like taekwando and karate. A game like hide-and-seek is not a sport.

I think one reason for this confusion is the use of "game" to refer to certain sports competitions. We do watch basketball games, soccer games, and track and field games. In this instance, the word "game" is used to mean an organized sporting event or meet, one which contains intense competition. Hence, we have the Olympic Games.

In general, a game is not a sport.