poncharse
/pont͡ʃaɾse/from spelling rules
To strike out in Spanish is poncharse.
The verb ponchar is used to express 'strike out'. The noun form for a strikeout is el ponche.
Is it said differently in some regions?
poncharse is the standard term used in Latin American Spanish, particularly in countries where baseball is popular, to describe a strikeout.
How do you pronounce it?
/pontʃaɾse/
Did you know?
- In the Dominican Republic, the culture of baseball is so integrated that ponchar is sometimes used metaphorically to mean failing or being rejected in a romantic pursuit.
- In several Latin American countries, ponchar is also used as a slang term for having a flat tire on a car or bicycle.
- In some contexts, if you say you want to ponchar something, you might actually be saying you want to 'punch' a hole in it, such as in metal or wood.
Examples in context
- El lanzador ponchó al bateadorThe pitcher struck out the batter
- El lanzador ponchó a tres bateadores en el juegoThe pitcher struck out three batters in the game
- ¡Bateaste al aire de nuevo! ¡Estás eliminado!You struck out again! You're out!
- El bateador falló el último batazo y fue eliminadoThe batter failed to hit the ball and was struck out
Example conversation
Sofía and Javier are watching a baseball game together.
- SofíaMira, el jugador se acaba de poncharse.Look, the player just struck out.
- JavierSí, el lanzador tiene mucha velocidad.Yes, the pitcher has a lot of speed.
- Sofía¿Crees que el próximo va a poncharse también?Do you think the next one will strike out too?
- JavierEs muy probable que sí.It is very likely that he will.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry poncharse, 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.
