marcar
/maɾˈkaɾ/
In Spanish, 'to score' is translated as marcar.
The verb marcar is used to describe gaining a point or a goal in a game or sport. For example, you can use the phrase marcar un gol to mean 'to score a goal', which is the standard way to express this in many sports like soccer. If you are referring to a single point in a game, use the phrase marcar un punto.
Which one should you use?
While marcar is common for scoring a goal, the verb anotar is often used in sports such as basketball to mean scoring a point or a basket.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Latin America, meter is widely used in informal contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
To describe a specific instance of scoring in the past, you can use the third-person singular preterite form marcó (he/she/it scored).
How do you pronounce it?
/maɾˈkaɾ/
When do people say it?
The expression hacer un tanto is a way to say 'to score' used in Spain and some Latin American countries.
Did you know?
- The verb marcar is also used in Spanish to 'dial' a phone number. This is because early telephones required users to literally mark the numbers on a dial.
- The noun marca is not just a 'mark' but can also refer to a 'brand' or a 'trademark' in a commercial context.
- The word tanto in the phrase hacer un tanto comes from the Latin 'tantus', meaning 'so much'. In a sporting context, it refers to a specific quantity or a single unit of scoring.
Examples in context
- El equipo polaco dominó claramente el partido, pero no logró marcar.The Polish team clearly dominated the match, but did not manage to score.This sentence shows how to use marcar when a team fails to score despite dominating a match.Tatoeba #10046535 by manufrutos, translation #8188225 by lucasmg123
- El equipo local anotó un gol en los primeros minutos del partido.The home team scored a goal in the first minutes of the match.
- El equipo visitante marcó un punto clave para ganar el set.The visiting team scored a crucial point to win the set.
- ¡Guau! Metiste un golazo desde fuera del área. ¡Eres increíble!Wow! You scored an amazing goal from outside the box. You're incredible!
- Neymar hizo un tanto en el último minuto y empató el partido.Neymar scored a goal in the last minute, tying the match.
- Ella logró marcar un gol en el último minuto.She managed to score a goal in the last minute.
- El delantero tiene mucha facilidad para marcar.The striker has a lot of ease scoring.
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are watching a soccer match on TV.
- Daniel¿Crees que ellos van a marcar hoy?Do you think they are going to score today?
- LucíaSí, Daniel, están jugando muy bien.Yes, Daniel, they are playing very well.
- Daniel¡Mira! ¡Acaba de marcar un gol!Look! He just scored a goal!
- Lucía¡Qué increíble jugada!What an incredible play!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry marcar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
