der Ball
Translation
ball, dance, ball (formal dance)
Examples
Die Kinder spielen mit dem Ball.
The children are playing with the ball.
Sie geht heute Abend auf einen Ball.
She is going to a ball tonight.
Grammar Patterns
to play ((with sth.)) to play with something The children are playing with the ball.
to go ((to a ball)) to go to a ball She is going to a ball tonight.
Similar Words
Synonyms: Kugel (sphere); Antonyms: -
Etymology
From Old High German 'bal', for a round object, related to the English 'ball'. The 'formal dance' meaning is a loanword from French 'bal'.
Memory Tips
Connect the two meanings: a physical 'ball' for playing, and a formal 'ball' for dancing. The shared English word makes it easy to remember.