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pelotas

peh-LOH-tahspeˈlotas

balls

Also: spheres
NounfA1
A close-up view of a collection of brightly colored sports balls, including a soccer ball, a basketball, and several tennis balls, lying together.

📝 In Action

Necesitamos tres pelotas nuevas para el partido de tenis.

A1

We need three new balls for the tennis match.

Los niños jugaban en el parque con sus pelotas de colores.

A2

The children were playing in the park with their colored balls.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • balones (large balls (soccer/basketball))

Common Collocations

  • jugar a las pelotas – to play ball
  • recoger las pelotas – to collect the balls

balls

Also: guts
NounfC1slang
Spain
Two large, heavy, gray iron cannonballs resting side-by-side on a rough wooden surface, symbolizing toughness.

📝 In Action

Tienes que echarle pelotas si quieres enfrentarte al jefe.

C1

You have to have guts (or 'balls') if you want to confront the boss.

¡Estoy hasta las pelotas de este ruido!

C2

I'm fed up (literally, 'up to my balls') with this noise!

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • testículos (testicles (formal))

Common Collocations

  • estar hasta las pelotas – to be fed up/annoyed
  • echarle pelotas – to show guts/courage

nothing

Also: nonsense
Interjectionn/aC2slang
Spain
A simplified cartoon figure standing with both arms raised, palms open and facing forward, shrugging emphatically in a gesture of absolute emptiness and denial.

📝 In Action

¿Que si sabe cocinar? ¡Sabe pelotas!

C2

Does he know how to cook? He knows nothing!

—¿Me vas a ayudar mañana? —¡Pelotas!

C2

—Are you going to help me tomorrow? —No way! (or 'Nonsense!')

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • nada (nothing (neutral))

Common Collocations

  • no saber ni pelotas – to know absolutely nothing
  • importar pelotas – to not matter at all

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "pelotas" in Spanish:

balls→guts→nonsense→nothing→spheres→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: pelotas

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'pelotas' in its neutral, literal meaning?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
pelota(ball) — Noun
pelotero(ball player; troublemaker) — Noun
pelotazo(a hard hit with a ball; a stroke of luck) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Spanish word 'pelota,' which comes from the Vulgar Latin *pilotta*, a diminutive of the Latin word *pila*, meaning 'ball' or 'game ball.'

First recorded: Medieval Spanish (as 'pelota')

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: palla

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'pelotas' the same as 'balones'?

They both mean 'balls,' but 'pelotas' usually refers to smaller balls (tennis, golf, general toys), while 'balones' refers to larger balls used in team sports like soccer or basketball.

Why is 'pelotas' feminine if it refers to male anatomy in slang?

'Pelota' (ball) is historically a feminine noun. When it was adopted as slang for testicles, it retained its original grammatical gender, even though the object it refers to is masculine.