Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| tiroteo | /tiɾoˈteo/ | masculine |
| baleadura | /baleaduɾa/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
Tiroteo refers to a shooting incident and typically implies a situation where many shots are fired. If you want to describe a single shot or discharge of a firearm, the formal term is disparo. To refer to a person who enjoys shooting as a sport, use tirador for a man or tiradora for a woman. If you need to specify that someone was shot or shot at, you can use the phrases recibió un disparo or fue tiroteado.
Which one should you use?
Tiroteo is the standard term for an exchange of gunfire or a shooting event. In contrast, baleadura refers more specifically to the act of being shot or the result of being shot.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun tiroteo is masculine and requires the definite article 'el' or the indefinite article 'un'.
How do you pronounce it?
/tiɾoˈteo/
Did you know?
- The word tiroteo shares a common root with the English word 'tirade', though a 'tirade' is a verbal attack while a 'tiroteo' is a physical one.
- In a sports context, a tirador is not just someone who uses a gun, but is also the common term for a 'shooter' or 'scorer' in basketball.
- Unlike English, where 'shooting' can refer to photography, Spanish uses tiroteo exclusively for gunfire. To describe a photo shoot, Spanish speakers use sesión fotográfica.
Examples in context
- El tiroteo empezó alrededor del mediodía.The shooting started around noon.This sentence is useful for describing when a tiroteo began.Tatoeba #1263577 by marcelostockle, translation #238485 by CK
- El peor evento que a menudo temo que pase en mi escuela es un tiroteo en la escuela.The worst event I often dread about happening at my school is a school shooting.This sentence is useful for expressing a fear regarding a tiroteo at a school.Tatoeba #13027818 by mexicanhere, translation #13027808 by mexicanhere
- El disparo resonó en el silencio de la nocheThe shot echoed in the silence of the night
- El tiroteo dejó varias personas heridasThe shooting left several people injured
- No debes disparar sin una razón válidaYou shouldn't shoot without a valid reason
- Mi hermano es un buen tiradorMy brother is a good shooter
- El testigo recibió un disparo mientras intentaba huirThe witness received a shot while trying to flee
- La policía investiga el tiroteo de ayer.The police are investigating yesterday's shooting.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a news report over the phone.
- Elena¿Escuchaste las noticias sobre el tiroteo?Did you hear the news about the shooting?
- AlejandroNo, no he visto nada todavía.No, I haven't seen anything yet.
- ElenaFue un tiroteo muy violento en el centro.It was a very violent shooting downtown.
- AlejandroQué miedo, espero que todos estén bien.How scary, I hope everyone is okay.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shooting” translations and entries tiroteo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tiroteo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
