Balatas

[DailyWord]

This is a discussion thread for the Daily Spanish Word for August 12, 2009

balatas (feminine noun (las)) — brake pads. Look up balatas in the dictionary

Si usas mucho los frenos al bajar de una montaña, se te pueden calentar las balatas.
If you use the brakes a lot as you come down a mountain, the brake pads can heat up.

[irmamar]

I don't know what "balata" means, and I can't found it in wordreference dictionary. Could it be "pastillas de frenos"?

[María José]

Iba a decir lo mismo. Pastillas si me suena... pero ba... no lo había oído nunca. Debe ser del otro lado del charco.

[laepelba]

"Balata" is in RAE as a Mexican term: http://buscon.rae.es/draeI/SrvltCons...3&LEMA=balatas

I have a question about the grammar of the sample sentence. Well, two questions:
1) "al bajar de una montaña" - is this pretty much how you say "to come down a hill/mountain/whatever incline..."?
2) Why use "te"? Can't it just be "se pueden calentar las balatas"?

Thanks!!

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

"Balata" is in RAE as a Mexican term: http://buscon.rae.es/draeI/SrvltCons...3&LEMA=balatas

I have a question about the grammar of the sample sentence. Well, two questions:
1) "al bajar de una montaña" - is this pretty much how you say "to come down a hill/mountain/whatever incline..."?
2) Why use "te"? Can't it just be "se pueden calentar las balatas"?

Thanks!!

In Chile we call them balatas. I got familiar with its name of pastillas de frenos only when I came to the US.


1) when coming (as coming) down a mountain (downhill)

2) se te (a ti, a tu auto) pueden calentar las balatas.

(Do not use the options within the parenthesis as they are not options in this last answer)

[Interprete]

Hice algunas búsqueadas yo mismo y no encontré mucho sobre esa palabra.

[CrOtALiTo]

Balatas means vehicle brake in Mexico.

Frequently I do a check out to my car to see if the brakes are in excellent conditions.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by CrOtALiTo

Balatas means vehicle brake in Mexico.

Frequently I do a check out to my car to see if the brakes are in excellent conditions.

Balata = ferodo (seemingly it's a trade mark (marca registrada) in Mexico)

Frenos = brakes

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by chileno

Balata = ferodo (seemingly it's a trade mark (marca registrada) in Mexico)

Frenos = brakes

No, in Mexico Balatas means brakes only that, I have never hear here in my country.

[bobjenkins]

Es recomendable que cada año compréis (compres) nuevos frenos. Hay muchas cosas las cuales se debieran hacer a sus coches para evitar un accidente.

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by CrOtALiTo

No, in Mexico Balatas means brakes only that, I have never hear here in my country.

balatas = brake pads
frenos = brakes

[irmamar]

But is the word "balata" still used? RAE is going to delete it

http://buscon.rae.es/draeI/SrvltCons...=3&LEMA=balata

balata2. 1. f. Méx. ferodo.

Artículo propuesto para ser suprimido.
Avance de la vigésima tercera edición

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

The RAE makes strange decisions. If you say "ferodo" in Mexico, no one will know what you're talking about.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

The RAE makes strange decisions. If you say "ferodo" in Mexico, no one will know what you're talking about.

Probably it used to be an old brand name in Mexico?

[chileno]

Originally Posted by irmamar

But is the word "balata" still used? RAE is going to delete it

http://buscon.rae.es/draeI/SrvltCons...=3&LEMA=balata

balata2. 1. f. Méx. ferodo.

Artículo propuesto para ser suprimido.
Avance de la vigésima tercera edición

I am almost sure that in Chile that word is still in use.

Now you have to think that it has been replaced slowly by "disc pads" or something to that effect. I think in Chile those are called "pastillas"

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

Originally Posted by chileno

Probably it used to be an old brand name in Mexico?

I've never known anything about cars and that's probably the origin of the word. Still, "balatas" is what everyone says and understands here; it's also the generic name printed on the packages.
I might have to ask a mechanic, but my guess is even they would have to think for a moment what "pastillas de frenos" would be, before saying "Ah, ¡balatas!".

[chileno]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

I've never known anything about cars and that's probably the origin of the word. Still, "balatas" is what everyone says and understands here; it's also the generic name printed on the packages.
I might have to ask a mechanic, but my guess is even they would have to think for a moment what "pastillas de frenos" would be, before saying "Ah, ¡balatas!".

jajaja ok!