patea la pelota
/patea la pelota/from spelling rules
To kick the ball in Spanish is patea la pelota.
The phrase is used to describe the action of striking a ball with the foot. The verb patear specifically emphasizes a kicking motion. You may choose between two words for ball: pelota is generally used for smaller objects like tennis balls or playground balls, while balón is used for larger sports balls such as a soccer ball or a basketball.
Which one should you use?
While pelota refers to smaller balls, using balón shifts the context toward larger sports equipment. For example, you might use balón when talking about soccer.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form patea la pelota is the imperative command used when speaking informally to one person. If you are making a statement to a friend (tú) rather than giving a command, you should say pateas la pelota for 'you kick the ball'.
How do you pronounce it?
/patea la pelota/
Did you know?
- While patear is the direct translation for 'to kick', in some Latin American slang, patear can also mean to 'wander' or 'roam around' aimlessly.
- The word pelota shares an ancestor with the English word 'pill', as both descend from the Latin word for a round object, 'pila'.
- The word patear can sometimes carry a connotation of 'to hit' or 'to strike' in a more aggressive way than the English 'to kick', depending on the context of the blow.
Examples in context
- En el partido de fútbol, el capitán golpeó el balón con fuerza para marcar un gol.In the soccer match, the captain kicked the ball forcefully to score a goal.
- ¡Me encanta chutar el balón en el parque con mis amigos!I love kicking the ball in the park with my friends!
- Te recomiendo propinarle una patada al balón con precisión y fuerza.I recommend giving a precise and powerful kick to the ball.
- Vamos a darle una patada al balón y divertirnos un rato.Let's kick the ball and have some fun!
- Patea la pelota hacia la portería.Kick the ball toward the goal.
- Patea la pelota con fuerza.Kick the ball with force.
- Mira cómo patea la pelota.Look how he kicks the ball.
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are practicing soccer in the park.
- LucíaJavier, patea la pelota hacia la meta.Javier, kick the ball toward the goal.
- JavierEstá bien, lo intentaré ahora.Alright, I will try it now.
- Lucía¡Dale más fuerza!Give it more force!
- Javier¡Ya entró!It went in!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries la, pelota, CC BY-SA 4.0.
