balón prisionero
/baˌlom pɾisjoˈneɾo/masculine
The English phrase dodgeball is translated into Spanish as balón prisionero.
balón prisionero is used to refer to the sport of dodgeball.
Meaning: a sport (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term balón prisionero literally translates to 'prisoner ball', reflecting the game mechanic where players hit by the ball are 'captured' or out.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, the game is commonly referred to as quemados.
How do you pronounce it?
/baˌlom pɾisjoˈneɾo/
Did you know?
- The word balón is a morphological relative of the word bala, meaning 'bullet', because both stem from the same root regarding objects that are propelled.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, the phrase balón prisionero is used interchangeably with el delegado, depending on local school traditions.
- The word balón uses the suffix -ón, which in Spanish is often used to indicate something is large or augmentative.
Examples in context
- Jugamos al balón prisionero en el recreo.We play dodgeball during recess.
- El balón prisionero es muy divertido.Dodgeball is very fun.
- Ellos ganaron el torneo de balón prisionero.They won the dodgeball tournament.
Example conversation
Two students are talking about their physical education class.
- LucíaDaniel, ¿quieres jugar al balón prisionero?Daniel, do you want to play dodgeball?
- DanielSí, Lucía, me encanta ese juego.Yes, Lucía, I love that game.
- LucíaVamos a buscar a más compañeros.Let's go find more classmates.
- DanielVale, busquemos a los demás ahora.Okay, let's look for the others now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dodgeball” translations and entries balón prisionero, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries balón, balón prisionero, prisionero, CC BY-SA 4.0.
