pasa la pelota
/pasa la pelota/from spelling rules
The English phrase "pass the ball" is translated into Spanish as pasa la pelota.
This phrase is used to instruct someone to throw or kick a ball to another player during a game. You can also use the phrase Dame el balón to mean "give me the ball", which is a common way to ask someone to pass the ball to you.
Which one should you use?
While pelota is a general term for any ball, in many Spanish-speaking regions, el balón is specifically used for larger balls used in sports like soccer or basketball.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form pasa la pelota is the informal imperative or command form, used when speaking to a friend or peer. In contrast, pase la pelota is the formal imperative form used when speaking to someone you address with usted.
How do you pronounce it?
/pasa la pelota/
Did you know?
- While pelota refers to a ball, it is also used in the phrase está en pelota to describe someone who is completely naked.
- The phrase pasar la pelota can be used metaphorically in a conversation to mean shifting the responsibility or the blame to another person.
- The command pasa la pelota uses a verb that is a homonym for pasa, meaning 'raisin'.
Examples in context
- ¡Buena jugada, pásala!Good play, pass it!
- ¡Pásala rápidamente!Pass it quickly!
- Pásala con precisiónPass it accurately
- Chicos, pasen la pelotaBoys, pass the ball
- Chicas, pasen la pelotaGirls, pass the ball
- ¡Pasa la pelota ahora!Pass the ball now!
- Pasa la pelota a tu compañero.Pass the ball to your teammate.
- Si me pasa la pelota, ganaremos.If he passes the ball to me, we will win.
Example conversation
Two friends are playing a casual game of soccer in the park.
- Alejandro¡Sofía, pasa la pelota!Sofía, pass the ball!
- Sofía¡Ya voy, Alejandro!I'm coming, Alejandro!
- Alejandro¡Pasa la pelota rápido!Pass the ball quickly!
- SofíaAquí tienes la pelota.Here is the ball.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
