Gaming Vocabulary
Learn the English words gamers actually use: level, match, teammate, lag, respawn, and more.
How do you want to practice?
Flashcards
Flip each card and rate how well you remembered it. That is how we learn when to show it to you again.
Learn
A quiz that adapts to your pace: multiple choice that progresses to typing the answer.
Write
Listen to the word and type it. Great for practicing spelling and pronunciation.
Match
Match the words against the clock. A fun, low-pressure way to review.
Terms in this deck
- levela stage of difficulty or progress in a game
- matcha single game played against one or more opponents
- teammatea player on your own team
- opponentthe player or team you compete against
- scorethe number of points a player has earned
- spawnto appear or reappear in the game
- laga delay between an action and the game's response, usually from a bad connection
- winto be victorious in a game
- loseto be defeated in a game
- respawnto appear again in the game after being defeated
- controllerthe device used to control a video game
- consolea device made specifically for playing video games
- multiplayera game mode where several people play together or against each other
- single-playera game mode played alone
- level upto advance to a higher level in a game
- health bara bar showing how much health a character has left
- checkpointa point in the game where your progress is saved
- bossa powerful enemy usually found at the end of a level
- glitchan unexpected error or bug in a game
- cheat codea secret code that gives special advantages in a game
- walkthrougha guide that shows how to complete a game
- achievementa reward for completing a specific task in a game
- loadoutthe set of weapons or items a player chooses before a match
- streamersomeone who broadcasts themselves playing games live online
- nooba beginner or inexperienced player, informal
- grindingrepeating an action over and over to gain experience or resources
- game overthe message shown when a player loses or the game ends
- high scorethe best score ever achieved in a game
- leaderboarda list showing the top-ranked players
- power-upan item that gives a temporary advantage in a game
- speedruncompleting a game as fast as possible
- co-opshort for "cooperative," playing together toward a shared goal
- rage quitto angrily stop playing a game after losing or getting frustrated, informal
- button mashto press buttons rapidly without a clear strategy, informal
- NPCshort for "non-player character," a character controlled by the game, not a player
- open worlda game where you can freely explore a large environment
- DLCshort for "downloadable content," extra content added to a game after release
- save pointa specific place in a game where you can save your progress
- tutoriala beginning section of a game that teaches you how to play
- questa task or mission a player must complete in a game
- side questan optional task separate from the main story
- XPshort for "experience points," earned to level up a character
- inventorythe list of items a player is carrying in a game
- skill treea chart showing the abilities a character can unlock over time
- clana group of players who team up regularly
- pinga measure of the delay between your device and the game server
- matchmakingthe system that pairs players together for a match
- modshort for "modification," a fan-made change to a game
- patchan update released to fix bugs or balance a game
- easter egga hidden secret or joke placed in a game by its developers
- esportscompetitive video gaming as an organized sport
How to study this deck
Video games use a lot of English, even in countries where they are played in Spanish. Study by area: gameplay (match, level, score), players (teammate, opponent, multiplayer) and hardware (controller, console). Playing and chatting in English with other players is a fun, real way to practice what you learn here.
The trickiest words
- lag: it is the delay in the connection that makes the game slow.
- spawn / respawn: spawn is to appear in the map and respawn is to reappear after losing.
- level up: it means to advance to the next level. It is also used outside games to mean improving.
Examples in context
I finally beat level 5.
The game keeps freezing because of lag.
This game only has multiplayer mode.
He looked up a cheat code for infinite lives.
I spent hours grinding for gold.
We beat the whole game in co-op mode.
I skipped the tutorial since I've played before.
He joined a competitive clan.
Mini dialogue
- A: Are you playing multiplayer tonight?
- B: Yes. My teammate is at level ten.
- A: There is a lot of lag. I cannot respawn.
- B: Restart the console. We need to win this match.