bate
“bate” means “bat” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
bat
Also: club
📝 In Action
El jugador de béisbol tomó el bate y se dirigió al plato.
A2The baseball player took the bat and headed to the plate.
Necesitas un bate fuerte para golpear la pelota lejos.
A1You need a strong bat to hit the ball far.
he/she/it beats, whisk
Also: he/she/it flaps, he/she/it strikes
📝 In Action
La cocinera bate la crema rápidamente para el postre.
B1The cook whisks the cream quickly for the dessert.
El colibrí bate sus alas miles de veces por minuto.
B2The hummingbird flaps its wings thousands of times per minute.
¡Bate los huevos hasta que estén espumosos!
A2Whisk the eggs until they are foamy!
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
preterite
present
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: bate
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'bate' as a noun?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
This single word has two separate origins! The noun ('bat' for sports) is a recent borrowing from the English word 'bat.' The verb form (from 'batir') comes from the ancient Latin word *battuere*, meaning 'to beat' or 'to strike,' which is related to the English word 'batter.'
First recorded: The verb form has existed in Spanish since the Middle Ages; the noun form is much more recent.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell if 'bate' means the object or the action?
Look at the small words around it! If you see 'el' or 'un' (el bate, un bate), it's the noun (the sports equipment). If you see it after a person or thing doing an action (él bate, la máquina bate), it's the verb form 'beats/whisks'.
Is 'bate' an irregular verb?
No, the verb 'batir' is completely regular. It follows the standard pattern for all verbs ending in '-ir' (like vivir or subir), making it very easy to conjugate.