You're standing on a soccer field in Madrid or maybe just trying to describe a rowdy toddler in Mexico City, and you realize something annoying. Language isn't a 1:1 swap. If you look up how do you say kick in Spanish, most dictionaries just spit back "patada."
That's fine. It's correct. But honestly? It's often the wrong word to use.
Spanish is a language of verbs. English likes nouns and "doing" words. We "give a kick," but a Spanish speaker prefers to kick. However, the word they choose depends entirely on whether they are scoring a goal, getting a "kick" out of a joke, or complaining about a mule that just sent them flying.
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The Heavy Hitter: Patada and Patear
The most literal translation you'll find is patada (the noun) and patear (the verb).
If you are physically swinging your leg to strike something, you are pateando. It comes from pata, which refers to an animal's leg or paw. This is why, in some slang-heavy circles, saying "patear" sounds a little aggressive or even animalistic. You'll hear it in the streets: El niño pateó la pelota (The boy kicked the ball). Simple. Direct.
But wait. There's nuance.
If you're talking about a "kick" as in a strike in martial arts, it’s almost always una patada. A "roundhouse kick" becomes una patada circular. It’s a physical impact. However, if you're talking about a horse kicking, you might hear coz. A coces is specifically the kick of a hoofed animal. If you tell a Spaniard a horse gave you a patada, they’ll know what you mean, but coz makes you sound like you actually know the language.
How Do You Say Kick in Spanish When You're Playing Soccer?
This is where it gets interesting for sports fans. If you shout "patear" at a professional soccer match in Argentina or Spain, you might get some funny looks. It’s too "clunky."
In the world of fútbol, the verb of choice is often tirar (to throw/shoot) or chutar.
Chutar is a wonderful example of "Spanglish" that became official. It’s a phonetic adaptation of the English word "shoot."
- ¡Chuta! (Kick it! / Shoot!)
- Hizo un gran tiro. (He made a great kick/shot.)
Then you have dar un punterazo. This is a specific kind of kick—the "toe poke." It’s when you kick the ball with the very tip of your shoe. It's usually considered bad form in professional play but highly effective in a scramble. If you’re at a park in Bogotá, you’ll hear someone yell about a punterazo when a kid nails a goal with his toes.
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The Regional Flavor
Language is regional. In Mexico, you might hear dar un despeje for a goalie’s long kick downfield. In Spain, they might refer to a "free kick" as un saque de falta. You aren't just "kicking" the ball; you are "performing a service of the foul."
It’s more descriptive. More precise.
Emotional Kicks and Slang
We use "kick" for everything in English. "I get a kick out of this." "The caffeine kicked in." "He kicked the habit."
If you translate these literally using patear, you will sound like a crazy person.
- "Getting a kick out of something": Use hacer gracia or disfrutar. Me hace mucha gracia ese comediante (I get a big kick out of that comedian).
- "The kick of a drink/food": If a salsa has a "kick," it’s picante or has chispa. You wouldn't say the salsa has a patada unless it literally feels like it punched you in the throat (which, to be fair, some habanero salsas do).
- "Kicking a habit": This is dejar un hábito or abandonar. No legs involved.
- "The caffeine kicked in": You’d say hizo efecto. El café ya me hizo efecto.
The "Kick" of a Gun: Retroceso
Here is a detail most beginners miss. If you are at a firing range and talk about the "kick" of a rifle, the word is retroceso. It literally means "recoil" or "stepping back." Using patada here is a classic "gringo" mistake. While a shooter might colloquially say the gun "kicks like a mule" (patea como una mula), the technical term is always retroceso.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Most people looking for how do you say kick in Spanish fall into the trap of using dar (to give) for everything. While dar una patada is common, native speakers often prefer the single verb patear for physical actions.
Also, watch your gender. El golpe (the hit/kick) is masculine. La patada is feminine.
If you’re talking about "kicking someone out" of a house, don't use patear. Use echar. Lo echaron de la casa (They kicked him out of the house). If you say Lo patearon de la casa, it sounds like a group of people physically kicked him until he rolled out the front door. Which is a very different vibe.
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Actionable Steps for Mastery
To really nail this, you need to stop thinking in English and start thinking in "scenarios."
- For physical strikes: Stick with patear or dar una patada.
- For soccer: Use chutar or tirar.
- For animals: Use dar coces.
- For "kicking someone out": Use echar.
- For "kicking a habit": Use dejar.
Practice by narrating your day. If you accidentally stub your toe on a chair and "kick" it in frustration, that's a patada. If you're watching a game and someone scores, shout ¡Qué buen tiro! Context is everything. Spanish isn't just about words; it's about the intent behind the movement.
Start by swapping out your generic "kick" for one of these specific verbs this week. Notice how people react. They’ll stop seeing you as a student with a dictionary and start seeing you as someone who actually feels the rhythm of the language.