sprintar

Sprintar is an informal verb used to describe the act of sprinting, especially in video games and casual sports talk. It is a loanword built from the English noun and verb sprint, adapted with the -ar suffix common to verbs in Romance languages such as Spanish and Portuguese. Because it originates in informal usage, sprintar is not a standard term in formal sports terminology or in major dictionaries.

Usage and regional spread. In Brazilian Portuguese, sprintar is widely used in gaming and online conversation to indicate a rapid dash or to activate a sprint mechanic. Similar usage appears in some Spanish-speaking online communities, where sprintar can denote moving quickly or using a sprinting capability. In more formal contexts, speakers may default to calques or native verbs such as correr, or to the English loanword sprint in sports commentary.

Contexts and meaning. In practice, sprintar occurs most often in digital media and youth slang. It may refer to a short, intentional burst of speed or to enabling a sprint feature in a game. Examples in informal speech include sentences like “Vou sprintar até a linha de chegada” or “El personaje sprinta para escapar.” The term’s spelling and acceptability vary by region and age group, reflecting its status as slang rather than standard vocabulary.

Status and references. Sprintar illustrates how English-origin terms gain verb-forming suffixes in Portuguese and Spanish-speaking online culture. Its recognition in formal reference works is limited, and users should be aware of regional differences in meaning and acceptability. See also sprint, sprinting.