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Hacer la pelota

/ah-SEHR lah peh-LOH-tah/

To flatter someone to gain favor; to suck up to someone.

Level:B2Register:InformalCommon:★★★★★

💡 Understanding the Idiom

Literal Translation:
"To make the ball"
What It Really Means:
To flatter someone to gain favor; to suck up to someone.
English Equivalents:
To suck up to someoneTo butter someone upTo be a brown-noserTo curry favor

🎨 Literal vs. Figurative

💭 Literal
A literal, humorous depiction of 'hacer la pelota', showing a person carefully crafting a soccer ball by hand.

Literally, the phrase means 'to make the ball'.

✨ Figurative
The actual meaning of 'hacer la pelota', showing an employee giving insincere, over-the-top compliments to their boss.

In practice, it means to 'suck up' to someone, usually for personal gain.

Key Words in This Idiom:

hacer
hacer
to do
→
pelota

📝 In Action

Juan siempre le hace la pelota al jefe para conseguir los mejores proyectos.

B2

Juan always sucks up to the boss to get the best projects.

No me hagas la pelota, que no te voy a subir la nota.

B2

Don't try to butter me up; I'm not going to raise your grade.

Estoy cansado de ver cómo le hace la pelota a la profesora todos los días.

B2

I'm tired of seeing how he sucks up to the teacher every day.

📜 Origin Story

One popular theory takes us back to an old French game called 'jeu de paume,' a bit like an early version of tennis. In this game, servants or lower-ranking players would respectfully offer the ball (called a 'pelote' in French) to the nobleman or more important player. This polite gesture of 'giving the ball' became a metaphor for giving someone what they want to hear to get on their good side.

⭐ Usage Tips

It's All About Insincerity

Use 'hacer la pelota' when you want to describe insincere flattery aimed at gaining an advantage. It has a negative connotation. The person doing the flattering is called a 'pelota'.

Context is Key: Bosses, Teachers, and Parents

This idiom is most often used when talking about someone flattering a person in a position of power, like a boss, teacher, or even a parent, to get something they want.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Don't Call Someone a 'Pelota' as a Compliment

Mistake: "Thinking that calling someone a 'pelota' means they are nice or helpful."

Correction: Calling someone a 'pelota' is an insult. It's the direct equivalent of calling them a 'suck-up' or a 'brown-noser' in English. The verb 'hacer la pelota' is also a criticism of someone's actions.

🌎 Where It's Used

🇪🇸

Spain

Extremely common and a core part of informal, everyday vocabulary. Everyone uses and understands it.

🌎

Latin America

It's understood in many countries, especially in Argentina and Uruguay. However, other local expressions are often more common, such as 'ser chupamedias' (literally 'to be a sock-sucker') or 'ser lambón'.

🔗 Related Idioms

↔️Similar Meanings

Dorar la píldora→

To sugarcoat the pill; to make something unpleasant seem better than it is.

Ser un pelota

To be a suck-up (the noun form of the idiom).

⇆Opposite Meanings

No tener pelos en la lengua→

To not mince words; to speak bluntly.

Ir al grano

To get to the point.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: Hacer la pelota

Question 1 of 1

If your colleague 'le hace la pelota al jefe', what are they doing?

🏷️ Tags

Social InteractionsCommonly UsedWork & Business

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'hacer la pelota' always negative?

Yes, it almost always carries a negative and critical tone. It implies that the flattery is not genuine and is motivated by self-interest. It's not something you would say as a compliment.

Can I use this idiom for myself?

You could, but it would be self-critical. For example, you might say jokingly, 'Voy a tener que hacerle la pelota al profesor si quiero aprobar' (I'm going to have to suck up to the teacher if I want to pass). It shows you know the action is a bit shameless.