bolas

balls

noun BOH-lahs Rare

Usage Note

Bolas is the plural of bola (ball), but as a standalone plural it carries vulgar connotations in much of Latin America (referring to testicles), making it potentially offensive in casual speech. In the Río de la Plata region en bolas means 'stark naked'. Context determines register.

Examples

"El malabarista lanzaba tres bolas al aire."

Natural Translation

The juggler tossed three balls in the air.

Free starter pack

Building your Spanish vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common Spanish words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore Spanish by topic

SpanishNow

Mexican Spanish Slang Every Traveler Should Know

Mexican Spanish slang decoded for travelers: what güey, mande, órale, and ahorita really mean, who you can safely say them to, and how rude each one is.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

Spanish Diminutives: What -ito and -ita Really Mean

Spanish diminutives rarely mean 'little.' Learn what -ito and -ita really signal — warmth, softening, downplaying — plus the -cito and -ecito formation rules.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

Spanish Reflexive Verbs: Me, Te, Se Made Clear

Spanish reflexive verbs use me, te, se for actions you do to yourself. Master the daily-routine pattern, pronoun placement, and shifts like dormir vs dormirse.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

Te Quiero vs Te Amo: Saying "I Love You" in Spanish

Te quiero vs te amo, explained: te quiero is the warm, safe everyday I love you; te amo is deeper and more romantic. A relationship-by-relationship map.

June 3, 2026 6 min read