Inklingo

How to Say "bounces" in Spanish

English → Spanish

bota

BOH-tahˈbota

verbA2general
Use 'bota' when describing the action of a ball or object repeatedly hitting and rebounding off a surface.
A bright red ball hitting the ground and jumping back up with motion lines.

Examples

El niño bota la pelota contra la pared.

The boy bounces the ball against the wall.

Ella siempre bota la basura a las ocho.

She always throws out the trash at eight.

Si la pelota bota fuera, es punto para mí.

If the ball bounces out, it's my point.

The 'B' vs 'V' Sound

In Spanish, the letters 'B' and 'V' sound exactly the same. 'Bota' (bounces) and 'Vota' (votes) sound identical, so you have to look at the context!

Throwing out vs. Bouncing

Mistake: “Using 'botar' for 'throw' in Spain.”

Correction: In Spain, 'botar' usually only means 'to bounce'. If you want to say 'throw away the trash' in Spain, use 'tirar' or 'echar'.

botes

BOH-tehsˈbotes

nounA1general
Use 'botes' to refer to the actual movement or a series of impacts when something, like a ball, hits a surface, or in the context of small boats.
Two small wooden rowing boats floating on calm blue water.

Examples

Vimos muchos botes de madera en el río.

We saw many wooden boats on the river.

Necesito tres botes de pintura blanca.

I need three cans of white paint.

La pelota dio varios botes antes de salir.

The ball took several bounces before going out.

Making it Plural

Since 'bote' ends in a vowel, you just add an 's' to make it plural: 'botes'.

Boats vs. Ships

Mistake: “Using 'botes' for a large cruise ship.”

Correction: Use 'barcos' for large ships. 'Botes' are specifically small vessels like rowboats or lifeboats.

Verb vs. Noun Confusion

Learners often confuse 'bota' (verb, the action of bouncing) with 'botes' (noun, the movement of bouncing or actual boats). Remember, 'bota' is what the ball *does*, while 'botes' can describe the *result* of that action or refer to watercraft.

Related Translations

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