Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| tiro de esquina | /ˌtiɾo de esˈkina/ | masculine |
| saque de esquina | /ˌsake de esˈkina/ | masculine |
| córner | /ˈkoɾneɾ/ | masculine |
This term refers to the corner kick in soccer. You can use several different forms depending on whether you want to emphasize the kick itself, the restart of play or simply use a common shorthand.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase tiro de esquina literally translates to shot of corner.
Which one should you use?
Tiro de esquina emphasizes the act of shooting or kicking the ball. In contrast, saque de esquina emphasizes the restart of play, specifically the act of taking the kick. You may also use the shorthand córner to refer to either concept.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The anglicism córner is very common in everyday speech and casual sports commentary.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Latin America, the variation tiro de rincón is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The term córner is masculine. For example, you can say un córner to mean a corner kick. To form the plural, add -s to get los córners.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌtiɾo de esˈkina/
Did you know?
- The word esquina shares a common ancestor with the English word 'shin' and the French word 'échine', all relating to a 'rim' or 'spine'.
- Depending on the region, you might hear tiro de rincón instead of tiro de esquina. While both mean 'corner', rincón usually refers to a cozy or hidden corner of a room rather than a street corner.
- While many English words are rejected by the Royal Spanish Academy, the anglicism córner is used so frequently by commentators and players that it is treated as a standard Spanish noun.
Examples in context
- El equipo recibió un saque de esquina y logró marcar un gol espectacular.The team was awarded a corner kick and managed to score a spectacular goal.
- El árbitro sancionó un tiro de esquina después de que el balón saliera por la línea de fondo.The referee awarded a corner kick after the ball went out of bounds.
- ¡Qué buen córner lanzó el delantero! El equipo contrario no pudo defenderlo.What a great corner kick the forward took! The opposing team couldn't defend it.
- El portero despejó el balón hacia la esquina del campo y concedieron un saque de esquina.The goalkeeper cleared the ball towards the corner of the field, resulting in a corner kick.
- El árbitro señaló un tiro de esquina.The referee signaled a corner kick.
- Ganamos el partido tras un tiro de esquina.We won the match after a corner kick.
- El jugador preparó el tiro de esquina.The player prepared the corner kick.
Example conversation
Sofía and Mateo are watching a soccer match on TV.
- Sofía¿Viste ese tiro de esquina, Mateo?Did you see that corner kick, Mateo?
- MateoSí, fue una jugada muy peligrosa.Yes, it was a very dangerous play.
- SofíaEspero que ellos puedan anotar pronto.I hope they can score soon.
- MateoYo también, la defensa está muy cerrada.Me too, the defense is very tight.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “corner kick” translations and entries tiro de esquina, saque de esquina, córner, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries córner, de, esquina, saque, tiro, CC BY-SA 4.0.
