rebotar
/reboˈtaɾ/
To bounce in Spanish is to say rebotar. Wiktionary also lists repercutir and botar.
Meaning: to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle (verb)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| rebotar | /reboˈtaɾ/ |
| repercutir | /repeɾkuˈtiɾ/ |
| botar | /boˈtaɾ/ |
| resurtir | /resuɾtiɾ/ (from spelling rules) |
| recudir | /rekuˈdiɾ/ |
The English verb 'bounce' refers to changing direction after hitting an obstacle.
Which one should you use?
Use rebotar when describing a physical object hitting a surface and springing back, such as a ball hitting a wall. Use botar when describing the action of bouncing a ball, such as dribbling or bouncing it on the ground. For metaphorical use, where 'bounce' means an effect or consequence impacting another situation, use repercutir.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/reboˈtaɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful with botar, as in many Spanish-speaking regions this word also means 'to throw away' or 'to discard'.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, using botar to mean 'bounce' can be confusing because the same word is used to mean 'to fire' an employee from their job.
- The verb botar comes from the Frankish word bautan, which meant 'to hit' or 'to strike'.
Examples in context
- La pelota rebota en el suelo.The ball bounces on the ground.
- Por favor, no rebote esa pelota aquí.Please, don't bounce that ball here.
- El baloncesto es un deporte que involucra mucho rebote.Basketball is a sport that involves a lot of bouncing.
- El objeto saltó varias veces antes de caer.The object bounced several times before falling.
- ¡No dejes de botar la pelota!Don't stop bouncing the ball!
- Me gusta botar la pelota en mi tiempo libre.I like to bounce the ball in my free time.
- La pelota rebotó en el suelo y llegó hasta el otro lado de la habitación.The ball bounced on the floor and reached the other side of the room.
- Me gusta ver cómo las burbujas rebotan en el vaso.I enjoy watching the bubbles bounce in the glass.
- La pelota va a rebotar en la pared.The ball is going to bounce against the wall.
- Si tiras la moneda, va a rebotar.If you drop the coin, it is going to bounce.
- El juguete no puede rebotar en este suelo.The toy cannot bounce on this floor.
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are playing with a ball in the park.
- DanielMira cómo puede rebotar esta pelota.Look at how this ball can bounce.
- ElenaEs muy rápida, Daniel.It is very fast, Daniel.
- Daniel¡Cuidado! Va a rebotar hacia ti.Watch out! It's going to bounce toward you.
- Elena¡Menos mal que la atrapé!Good thing I caught it!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bounce” translations and entries rebotar, repercutir, botar, recudir, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries botar, rebotar, repercutir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
