How to say you support a team in Japanese?

Looking for a way to express that you are a fan or supporter of a team in the Japanese language, be it football or any other sport? This guide will help you understand ways to show support in Japanese.

The first thing you need to learn before talking about cheering for a team is to learn the names of sports in Japanese, for that we recommend the articles below:

• Sports names in Japanese – List
• Japanese Soccer/Football – Vocabulary

Ouen - The verb to support in Japanese

The most common way to say that you support a team in Japanese is using the verb ouen [応援] which means to help, assist, support, cheer and support.

私は〇〇チームを応援します
watashi wa 〇〇 tiimu wo ouenshimasu

In the sentence above we have the most common way of expressing that you are a fan of a team. You don't need to say those exact words, you don't need to use the word time (チーム) or use the personal pronoun depending on how the conversation is going.

Asking which team you root for

To ask a person which team they support, you can use the following phrases below:

どのサッカーチームを応援していますか？
dono sakkaa tiimu wo ouenshiteimasuka? 

どのサッカーチームを支持していますか？
dono sakkaa tiimu wo shijishiteimasuka?  

どのチームが好きですか？
dō no chīmu ga suki desu ka?

どのチームに所属していますか？
dō no chīmu ni shozō shiteimasu ka?

どのチームを応援している？
dō no chīmu wo ōen shiteiru?

We just saw different phrases that ask which team you support. The first sentences include the word [サッカー] which refers to football, but can be replaced by other sports such as basketball, volleyball and others.

In one of the sentences we use [好き] which means I like or love, then we use [所属] which asks which team you belong to.

I'm a Fan of a Team in Japanese

Instead of using the verb cheer and support, maybe you mean being a fan of a sports team, football, volleyball or baseball. In that case, you can use the Japanese word fan which is derived from English.

私は〇〇チームのファンです"
Watashi wa 〇〇 tiimu no fan desu

You don't have to use the word team, or even personal pronouns, just say you're a fan. Another way is also to just say the name of the team you support followed by [です] if you received a specific question about which team you support.

Other ways to root for a team in Japanese

Although less common, you can use other terms to say that you support someone or something. The synonyms of the verb [ouen 応援] are:

1. 支援します (shien shimasu) - provide support
2. 援助します (enjo shimasu) - provide assistance
3. 助けます (tasukeru) - help
4. 助けましょう (tasukemashou) - let's help
5. 応援に来ました (ōen ni kimashita) - came to support
6. 応援をしています (ōen wo shiteimasu) - am supporting
7. 願っている - wishing

Of course, you shouldn't use these verbs in the wrong context, it's good to research the meaning of each one in depth. See also some words related to supporting and cheering:

Supporter and Fan in Japanese

Here are some words and expressions related to supporting a team or group in Japanese:

1. ファンクラブ - fan club
2. ファン (fan) - fan
3. サポーター (sapōtā) - supporter
4. メンバー (menbā) - member
5. 応援団 (ōen dan) - organized supporters group
6. 応援隊 (ōen tai) - organized supporters' group
7. サポート (sapōto) - apoio
8. 支援 (shien) - support
9. 支持 (shiji) - support
10. 支援者 (shien sha) - supporter