¿me das una pelota?
In Spanish, 'can I get a ball' is expressed as ¿me das una pelota?
While English uses 'can I get' to express a request, Spanish more commonly uses the direct 'will you give me' structure for the same purpose.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ¿me das una pelota? literally translates to 'Will you give me a ball?'
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase ¿me das una pelota?, the verb dar (to give) is conjugated in the second-person singular present indicative to form a question.
Did you know?
- In some regions, calling someone a pelota is a slang term for a 'brown-noser' or a sycophant who tries to please a boss.
- Using ¿me das…? is so common for requests that it is used for things you are paying for, like asking a vendor for a 'ball' of yarn.
- The word pelota is a close linguistic relative of the English word 'pill', as both descend from the Latin 'pila' meaning a ball or sphere.
Examples in context
- ¡Oye! ¿Me das una pelota?Hey! Will you give me a ball?
Example conversation
Lucía and Daniel are at the park.
- LucíaHola Daniel, ¿me das una pelota?Hi Daniel, can I get a ball?
- DanielSí, claro. Aquí tienes.Yes, of course. Here you go.
- Lucía¡Gracias! Vamos a jugar.Thanks! Let's play.
- Daniel¡Dale! Empecemos ya.Go for it! Let's start now.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries me, pelota, una, CC BY-SA 4.0.
