Usage Note
Pelota is the general word for a ball used in sport or play, covering everything from a tennis ball to a handball. In Spain it also lends its name to the Basque sport pelota vasca. Colloquially, hacerle la pelota a alguien means to flatter or suck up to someone — a false-friend trap since 'ball' in polite English has no such meaning.
Examples
"El niño lanzó la pelota al aire."
Natural Translation
The boy threw the ball into the air.
Related Words
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