"The athlete kicks the ball."

Translation: Ο αθλητής κλωτσά την μπάλα.

[CaptainBuckyB]

If the athlete is female would it be η αθλητής?

[troll1995]

It would be η αθλήτρια.

[trezost]

κτυπά= κλωτσά

[D_..]

No, the two verbs have quite distinct meanings: a kick is a specific kind of hit.

[trezost]

I agree for the English verbs. Admittedly it has been ages since I listened to coverage of a football (soccer) game in Greek; I wonder what word/verb the Greek commentators use to describe the kicking of the ball... For some reason I recall that the "penalty kick" is "το χτύπημα του πέναλτυ" and not "το κλώτσημα του πέναλτυ"

[Hypatiaserena]

It's still "το χτύπημα του πέναλτυ", but we use the verb κλωτσάω to say that we kick the ball :)

[KostaPapas]

Why αθλητης (athlete) and not παικτης (player).

[D_..]

Why not? More words to learn! :)