balas
“balas” means “bullets” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
bullets, roundsAlso: shots
📝 In Action
Encontraron dos cajas de balas en el armario.
B1They found two boxes of bullets in the closet.
Se quedaron sin balas después del primer enfrentamiento.
B2They ran out of rounds after the first confrontation.
El escudo puede detener balas de bajo calibre.
B1The shield can stop low-caliber bullets.
Word Connections
you bleat, you baa
📝 In Action
Si eres una oveja, ¿por qué balas tan fuerte?
C1If you are a sheep, why do you bleat so loudly?
El pastor te regaña si balas fuera de tiempo.
C2The shepherd scolds you if you baa out of turn.
Word Connections
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: balas
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'balas' as the sound an animal makes?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology
The noun 'bala' (bullet) likely comes from the ancient Germanic word *balla* (meaning sphere or ball), reflecting the original shape of early projectiles. The verb 'balar' (to bleat) has a separate origin, probably being an onomatopoeia, meaning it was created to imitate the sound itself.
First recorded: 15th century (for the noun)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if 'balas' refers to bullets or bleating?
Context is everything! If the word is preceded by an article (like 'las') or a number (like 'cinco'), it's the noun 'bullets.' If it follows the pronoun 'tú' (or is implied) and is used in a sentence about sheep or goats, it is the verb 'you bleat.'
Is 'balas' used in any common idioms?
Yes, 'a prueba de balas' is a very common phrase meaning 'bulletproof' or 'invulnerable.'