What it's NOT
balloon does NOT translate to balón.
To say "balón" in English, use ball.
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False cognate · False friend
balloon
Does NOT mean balón
It means an inflatable rubber toy
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
What it IS
balloon means an inflatable rubber toy.
Why it's confused
Spanish "balón" is the large ball used in sports. English "balloon" is the inflatable party or gas balloon. The words look alike, but the origin and the actual object are different.
How it's pronounced
balloonba-LÚN
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Examples of correct use
English
The kids played with balloons.
Spanish
Los niños jugaron con globos.
English
A hot air balloon flew over us.
Spanish
Un globo aerostático pasó sobre nosotros.
A trick to remember it
Balloon = the inflatable party toy. A sports ball (Spanish "balón") = ball.
Mini quiz
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Frequently asked questions
What does "balloon" mean in English?
"Balloon" means "an inflatable rubber toy". It looks a lot like "balón", which is exactly why it gets confused, but they don't mean the same thing.
How do you say "balón" in English?
To say "balón" in English, use "ball". If you use "balloon" instead, you would actually be saying "an inflatable rubber toy".
Do "balloon" and "balón" mean the same thing?
Spanish "balón" is the large ball used in sports. English "balloon" is the inflatable party or gas balloon. The words look alike, but the origin and the actual object are different.
Other confusing false friends
More confusing false friends
Library, embarrassed, actually... the full list of words that look the same but mean something different.
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