patear
/pateˈaɾ/
In Spanish, 'to kick' is translated as patear.
The verb patear means to strike someone or something with the foot. In sports contexts, such as soccer, it is commonly used to describe the act of striking the ball, for example, patear el balón.
Which one should you use?
While patear is a direct verb, you can also express the action of delivering a single kick using the phrase dar una patada. In some regions, the expression echar una patada is used as an alternative to dar una patada to mean 'to give a kick'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The gerund form of patear (kicking) is pateando, and the third-person singular preterite form (he/she kicked) is pateó.
How do you pronounce it?
/pateˈaɾ/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, patear is used figuratively to mean walking a long distance or trekking through a place on foot.
- While patear is common in Latin America for soccer, speakers in Spain often prefer the verb chutar, which is a loanword derived from the English word 'shoot'.
- The verb patear and the noun patada are both rooted in the word pata, which is a common way to refer to an animal's 'leg' or 'paw'.
Examples in context
- Vine aquí a patear traseros y masticar goma de mascar… Y ando sin nada de goma de mascar.I came here to kick ass and chew bubblegum… And I'm all out of bubblegum.This sentence shows the use of patear in an idiomatic expression.Tatoeba #1327525 by marcelostockle, translation #847919 by Vulgaris
- El futbolista golpeó el balón con fuerza.The soccer player kicked the ball forcefully.
- El jugador de fútbol pateó el balón hacia el arco.The soccer player kicked the ball towards the goal.
- El niño le dio una patada al balón.The boy kicked the ball.
- La niña dio una patada fuerte al objeto.The girl kicked the object strongly.
- El futbolista echó una patada al aire.The soccer player kicked the air.
- Ten cuidado de no patear la mesa.Be careful not to kick the table.
- El niño no para de patear la puerta.The boy won't stop kicking the door.
Example conversation
María and Javier are playing soccer in the park.
- María¿Puedes patear el balón con más fuerza?Can you kick the ball harder?
- JavierSí, lo intentaré en el próximo tiro.Yes, I will try it on the next shot.
- María¡Muy bien, Javier! Lo hiciste perfectamente.Very good, Javier! You did it perfectly.
- JavierGracias, María. Me divertí mucho.Thanks, María. I had a lot of fun.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry patear, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
