punto
/ˈpunto/masculine
In Spanish, the English word 'point' is translated as punto.
punto is a masculine noun used to refer to a unit of scoring in a game or competition. It can also refer to a physical dot, a spot or a punctuation mark such as a period. In specific contexts, you may encounter useful phrases like punto clave for a 'key point' in an argument or punto decimal for a 'decimal point'. When talking about time, the phrase las dos en punto is used to say 'two o'clock'. To tell someone to get straight to the point, you can use the expression al grano. Additionally, the idiomatic expression a punto de followed by an infinitive means that someone is 'about to' do something.
Meaning: unit of scoring in a game or competition (noun)
Which one should you use?
While punto is the standard term for a scoring unit, it is also the same word used to describe a physical dot, a spot or a punctuation mark.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of punto is puntos.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpunto/
Did you know?
- The word punto shares its ancestry with the English word 'puncture', as both stems from the Latin word pungō, meaning 'to prick'.
- In Spanish, a 'full stop' or 'period' is called punto, but the 'decimal point' is often called coma in many Spanish-speaking countries.
- A 'stitch' in a medical wound is also called a punto.
Examples in context
- ¡Un punto para Tom!One point for Tom!This sentence is useful for announcing a score using punto.Tatoeba #9991222 by manufrutos, translation #3248440 by Hybrid
- Este es su punto débil.This is her weak point.This sentence shows how to use punto to describe a 'weak point'.Tatoeba #2744072 by marcelostockle, translation #56147 by voxbubnya
- Estoy a punto de llorar.I'm at the point of tears.This sentence demonstrates the idiomatic use of punto to mean 'about to' perform an action.Tatoeba #6703479 by arh, translation #12901444 by araneo
- El punto clave de este informe es…The key point of this report is…
- Vayamos al granoLet's get to the point.
- Tus comentarios están en lo ciertoYour comments are on point.
- 131 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and María are watching a tennis match on television.
- Daniel¿Cuántos puntos tiene el jugador?How many points does the player have?
- MaríaÉl tiene un punto de ventaja.He has a point advantage.
- Daniel¡Mira! Acaba de ganar un punto más.Look! He just won one more point.
- MaríaEs un partido muy emocionante.It is a very exciting match.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “point” translations and entries punto, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries punto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
