hacer la pelota
/aθeɾ la pelota/from spelling rules
The English phrase "buttering up" is expressed in Spanish as hacer la pelota.
hacer la pelota describes the act of praising or flattering someone excessively in order to obtain a favor or a special advantage from them.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "to do the ball".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
hacer la pelota is a colloquial expression. For more formal contexts, you may use the verb Adular, which means to flatter or to cater to someone's wishes or the noun Servilismo, which refers to acts of servility or excessive flattery.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you use this phrase to specify who is being buttered up, you typically use an indirect object pronoun such as le or les to indicate the person being flattered, as in hacerle la pelota a alguien.
How do you pronounce it?
/aθeɾ la pelota/
Did you know?
Examples in context
- Está adulando al jefe para conseguir un ascensoHe is buttering up the boss to get a promotion.
- Sus evidentes palabras de servilismo no pasaron desapercibidasHis blatant words of buttering up did not go unnoticed.
- Está halagando a los invitados para obtener su aprobaciónHe is buttering up the guests to gain their approval.
- La nueva empleada le está chupando las botas al jefeThe new employee is buttering up the boss.
- No te dejes engañar, solo está haciéndote la roscaDon't be deceived, they are just buttering you up.
- Siempre se pone meloso con su profesor para obtener mejores calificacionesHe always butters up his teacher to get better grades.
- Siempre se pone melosa con su abuela para que le compre juguetes nuevos.She always butters up her grandmother to get her to buy new toys.
- Está intentando adular al director para conseguir un aumento de sueldo.He is trying to butter up the director to get a salary increase.
- No le hagas la pelota al jefe, que no te va a subir el sueldo.Don't butter up the boss, he's not going to give you a raise.
- No me vengas a hacer la pelota.Don't try to butter me up.
Example conversation
Sofía and Javier are talking about a coworker's behavior.
- Sofía¿Por qué le llevas regalos al director?Why are you bringing gifts to the director?
- JavierSolo estoy intentando hacer la pelota un poco.I'm just trying to butter him up a little.
- SofíaJavier, eso no va a funcionar.Javier, that is not going to work.
- JavierLo sé, pero no pierdo nada con intentarlo.I know, but I have nothing to lose by trying.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hacer, hacer la pelota, la, pelota, CC BY-SA 4.0.
