balón de fútbol
/baˌlon de ˈfudbol/masculine
The English phrase "soccer ball" can be translated into Spanish as balón de fútbol or pelota de fútbol.
Meaning: ball that is designed for use in the sport of soccer (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| balón de fútbol | /baˌlon de ˈfudbol/ | masculine |
| pelota de fútbol | /pelota de futbol/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
Both terms refer to a ball designed for use in the sport of soccer.
Which one should you use?
balón de fútbol is the masculine form, while pelota de fútbol is the feminine form. Use pelota de fútbol for general, everyday conversation or when referring to smaller, recreational balls.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of the masculine balón de fútbol is balones de fútbol. The plural form of the feminine pelota de fútbol is pelotas de fútbol.
How do you pronounce it?
/baˌlon de ˈfudbol/
Did you know?
- The word balón is derived from bala, which in modern Spanish means 'bullet'. Both words share a root referring to a round projectile.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, pelota can refer to any spherical object, but balón is specifically reserved for balls used in professional sports like soccer and basketball.
- In some Caribbean countries, you might hear pelota used for baseball as well, which can cause confusion if you only use it to mean a pelota de fútbol.
Examples in context
- ¿Cuánto pesa una pelota de fútbol?How much does a soccer ball weigh?This sentence is useful for asking about the weight of a pelota de fútbol.Tatoeba #3253280 by marcelostockle, translation #2912386 by CK
- Le conseguí a Tom una pelota de fútbol para su cumpleaños.I got Tom a soccer ball for his birthday.This sentence is useful for describing getting a pelota de fútbol as a gift.Tatoeba #2734637 by emanuel81, translation #2329650 by CK
- Si el Sol fuera tan grande como una pelota de fútbol, la Tierra correspondería a la cabeza de un alfiler y Júpiter sería tan grande como una canica.If the sun were as big as a soccer ball, the Earth would correspond to the head of a pin, and Jupiter would be as big as a marble.This sentence is useful for using a pelota de fútbol as a size comparison.Tatoeba #8365210 by emigonza, translation #10255405 by LimeGreenTeknii
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are preparing for a game at the park.
- LucíaJavier, ¿tienes el balón de fútbol?Javier, do you have the soccer ball?
- JavierSí, lo tengo en mi mochila.Yes, I have it in my backpack.
- Lucía¡Qué bueno! Vamos a jugar.Great! Let's go play.
- Javier¡Vamos, Lucía!Let's go, Lucía!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “soccer ball” translations and entries balón de fútbol, pelota de fútbol, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries balón, de, fútbol, pelota, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
