bates
“bates” means “bats” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
bats
Also: clubs
📝 In Action
Los jugadores de béisbol trajeron sus propios bates.
A2The baseball players brought their own bats.
Hay bates de madera y bates de aluminio.
B1There are wooden bats and aluminum bats.
you beat
Also: you break, you flap
📝 In Action
Si bates los huevos con fuerza, el pastel saldrá mejor.
A2If you beat the eggs vigorously, the cake will turn out better.
Tú bates el récord mundial de natación hoy.
B1You are breaking the world swimming record today.
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: bates
Question 1 of 2
If you are in a kitchen and someone says '¡Bates muy rápido!', what are you doing?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'battuere,' which means 'to strike' or 'to beat.' It evolved into the sports noun because you strike the ball, and the verb because you strike or whip ingredients together.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'bates' mean the animal that flies at night?
No. Even though it sounds like the English word 'bats,' the flying mammal is called a 'murciélago' in Spanish.
Is 'bates' used for both baseball and cricket?
Yes, it can refer to the hitting instrument in various sports, though baseball is its most common association.