Translation guide
A person who swims, whether as a sport, hobby, or profession. Japanese has several words for 'swimmer' depending on context, from general terms to specific roles like competitive athletes or lifeguards.
He is a swimmer.
That swimmer is fast, isn't he?
Loanword from English. Commonly used in sports contexts or when referring to someone who swims as a hobby or exercise. Sounds slightly more modern or casual than 泳ぐ人.
She practices as a swimmer on weekends.
To refer to someone who swims competitively, such as in races or as a sport.
Specifically means 'swimming athlete' or 'competitive swimmer'. Used for people who participate in swimming competitions.
He is an Olympic swimmer.
I practice every day to become a competitive swimmer.
More specifically a 'competitive swimmer' emphasizing racing. Often used in formal sports contexts.
To refer to someone whose job or role involves swimming, such as a lifeguard or rescue swimmer.
An older or literary term for 'swimmer', sometimes used for professional swimmers or in poetic contexts. Not common in everyday speech.
He is a skilled swimmer.
In Japanese, it's more natural to use the specific job title rather than a generic 'swimmer'. For example, a lifeguard is 監視員 (かんしいん) or ライフセーバー, a rescue swimmer is 救助員 (きゅうじょいん), and a pearl diver is 海女 (あま) or 海人 (うみんちゅ).
He is a pool lifeguard.
The English word 'swimmer' can metaphorically refer to someone who is good at navigating a situation (e.g., 'a strong swimmer in politics'). This metaphor does not translate directly into Japanese. Instead, use phrases like やり手 (やりて, go-getter) or したたか者 (したたかもの, shrewd person) depending on context.
She is a strong swimmer.
Natural Japanese often uses 'good at swimming' rather than a noun 'swimmer'.
He competed in an international tournament as a competitive swimmer.
海女さんは海に潜って貝を取ります。
The female diver dives into the sea to collect shellfish.