Whether someone is playing on a sports team or acting in a movie, they are a שחקן.
The suffix -ן is added to the root to turn it into a profession, similar to how a pianist is a פסנתרן. So a “player” or an actor is a שחקן. If you’re talking about a female player, she’s a שחקנית.
In context:
היא שחקנית מוכשרת, אבל היא תמיד שוכחת את המילים שלה.
She’s a talented actor, but she always forgets her lines.
The word שחקן – player is a Level 3 word in the Ulpan La-Inyan system.
