French word

balle

Pronunciation

IPA/bal/

Meaning

  • feminine nounball

Example

La balle est rouge.

The ball is red.

Illustration for balle (ball)

More examples

Les enfants jouent à la balle dans le parc.

The children are playing ball in the park.

Core concept

A compact sphere that moves when thrown, struck in play, or fired as a projectile.

Common phrases

  • jouer à la balle

    play ball

  • lancer la balle

    throw the ball

  • ramasser la balle

    pick up the ball

Similar words

ballon: A large, round object inflated for sports or play.
bille: A small, hard, palm-sized ball used in children's games.
boule: A heavy, round object made of metal or wood for a throwing sport.

Definition in French

Petit objet rond ou sphérique, de petite taille, utilisé pour jouer, lancer ou frapper ; en langage courant, peut aussi désigner une munition.

Word origin

French balle comes through Italian palla from a Germanic source related to English ball, with the projectile sense developing from the object's round shape.

Usage tips

  • For football, French usually uses ballon, while balle is common for tennis and other smaller sports balls.

Other meanings

  • bulletnoun

Word lists with this word