First Phrases

Padel & pickleball · Español

Padel & pickleball in Spanish: 10 phrases for tonight

Games are played in fours, so open sessions often need one more person. Turn up, say hello, say you are happy to be matched, and the court does the rest.

Register: Informal (friendly). Tú is standard on a court, even with strangers. In Spain you say "pádel" (stress on PA) and "pista" for the court.

How to read the sounds: Spanish is mostly read as written. In Spain, c before e/i and z sound like English th. h is silent. ñ = ny. rr is rolled. Stress is marked in CAPITALS.

10 phrases, door to goodbye

  1. 01 · Arriving
    ¡Hola! ¿Os falta alguien para jugar?
    Say it like: OH-lah! ohs FAL-tah AL-gyen PAH-rah hoo-GAR
    Hi! Are you short of a player?
  2. 02 · Saying you're new
    Soy nuevo/nueva en el grupo y vengo solo/sola.
    Say it like: soy NWEH-boh/NWEH-bah en el GROO-poh ee BEN-goh SOH-loh/SOH-lah
    I'm new to the group and I came on my own.
  3. 03 · Asking how it works
    ¿Cómo organizáis los partidos? ¿Se rota de pareja?
    Say it like: KOH-moh or-gah-nee-THAH-ees lohs par-TEE-dohs? seh RROH-tah deh pah-REH-hah
    How do you organise the matches? Do we change partners?
  4. 04 · Small talk
    ¿Llevas mucho tiempo jugando al pádel?
    Say it like: YEH-bahs MOO-choh TYEM-poh hoo-GAN-doh al PAH-del
    Have you been playing padel for long?
  5. 05 · Small talk
    ¿Venís siempre a esta pista?
    Say it like: beh-NEES SYEM-preh ah ES-tah PEES-tah
    Do you always come to this court?
  6. 06 · Small talk
    ¿Y tú de dónde eres?
    Say it like: ee too deh DON-deh EH-rehs
    And where are you from?
  7. 07 · Being a beginner
    Soy principiante, ¿no pasa nada?
    Say it like: soy preen-thee-PYAN-teh, noh PAH-sah NAH-dah
    I'm a beginner, is that okay?
  8. 08 · Cheering a shot
    ¡Buen punto! ¡Qué bola!
    Say it like: bwen POON-toh! keh BOH-lah
    Good point! What a shot!
  9. 09 · Calling the ball
    ¡Mía! / Perdona, esa era tuya.
    Say it like: MEE-ah / per-DOH-nah, EH-sah EH-rah TOO-yah
    Mine! / Sorry, that one was yours.
  10. 10 · Leaving & keeping in touch
    Gracias por el partido. ¿Me añadís al grupo de WhatsApp?
    Say it like: GRAH-thyahs por el par-TEE-doh. meh ah-nya-DEES al GROO-poh deh WAT-sap
    Thanks for the game. Will you add me to the WhatsApp group?

3 things you will probably hear

  1. H1 · You may hear
    Somos tres, nos falta uno.
    Say it like: SOH-mohs trehs, nohs FAL-tah OO-noh
    There are three of us, we need one more.
  2. H2 · You may hear
    ¿Tienes pala? Si no, te dejo una.
    Say it like: TYEH-nehs PAH-lah? see noh, teh DEH-hoh OO-nah
    Do you have a racket? If not, I'll lend you one.
  3. H3 · You may hear
    Cambiamos de lado.
    Say it like: kam-BYAH-mohs deh LAH-doh
    We switch sides.

Go and try it

Find padel and pickleball sessions on Come Alone

Quick answers

What do I say when I arrive alone at a padel or pickleball session in Spanish?

Start with: "¡Hola! ¿Os falta alguien para jugar?" (Hi! Are you short of a player?). Then say you are new: "Soy nuevo/nueva en el grupo y vengo solo/sola." (I'm new to the group and I came on my own.)

Should I use informal or formal Spanish at a padel or pickleball session?

Tú is standard on a court, even with strangers. In Spain you say "pádel" (stress on PA) and "pista" for the court.

How do I ask to meet again after a padel or pickleball session in Spanish?

Try: "Gracias por el partido. ¿Me añadís al grupo de WhatsApp?" (Thanks for the game. Will you add me to the WhatsApp group?)

Same evening, another language

Español Français Deutsch Português Italiano Suomi

Spanish, another evening

Pub quiz Padel & pickleball Run club Sauna Book club Dinner with strangers Language café

All 7 × 6 cards · Phrases for a specific event near you

How it works

  1. Pick the evening and the language people will speak.
  2. Read the ten phrases in order: they follow the evening from the door to goodbye. Tap the speaker to hear each one in your device's voice.
  3. Print the card or keep it open on your phone. Native-speaker review is still pending; a "check" mark flags a phrase we are least sure of.
  4. Find the event on Come Alone, open it in Meet & Mint to see who else is going, and say the first phrase for real.

firstphrases.app/tonight/padel/es/ · Meet & Mint