Inklingo

How to Say "corner" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “corner” is “esquina” — use 'esquina' for the corner of a street, a room, or the outer edge of a piece of furniture or object..

English → Spanish

esquina

ess-KEE-nah/esˈkina/

NounA1General
Use 'esquina' for the corner of a street, a room, or the outer edge of a piece of furniture or object.
A colorful storybook illustration of a clear, sharp street corner where two paved roads meet, forming a right angle.

Examples

La tienda está en la esquina de la calle Bravo.

The shop is on the corner of Bravo street.

La farmacia está en la esquina de la calle principal.

The pharmacy is on the corner of the main street.

Tuvimos que doblar la esquina para ver el mural.

We had to turn the corner to see the mural.

Se me dobló la esquina de la página del libro.

The corner of the book page got folded.

Feminine Noun

Esquina is always feminine, so you must use 'la' or 'una' before it: 'la esquina'.

Esquina vs. Rincón

Mistake: “Using 'rincón' when talking about a street corner.”

Correction: Use 'esquina' for outside corners (streets) and 'rincón' for inside corners or cozy, hidden corners (of a room).

rincón

NounA2General
Use 'rincón' specifically for an inside corner where two walls or surfaces meet, often a secluded or hidden spot.

Examples

Dejé mis libros en el rincón de la habitación.

I left my books in the corner of the room.

ángulo

NounA2General
Use 'ángulo' when referring to the geometric angle of a bend or an outside corner, especially in construction or measurement.

Examples

Corta la madera formando un ángulo recto.

Cut the wood forming a right angle.

canto

/KAN-toh//ˈkanto/

NounB1General
Use 'canto' for the sharp edge or corner of a hard object, like a table or a book.
A solid, simple, purple geometric block resting on a flat surface, with one sharp vertical edge clearly emphasized.

Examples

Ten cuidado de no golpearte con el canto de la mesa.

Be careful not to hit yourself on the edge of the table.

El libro cayó y golpeó el canto de la mesa.

The book fell and hit the edge of the table.

Puso la moneda de canto para hacerla girar.

He put the coin on its edge to spin it.

Edge vs. Corner

Mistake: “Using 'esquina' for the edge of a flat object.”

Correction: 'Esquina' usually means a street corner or the corner where two walls meet. Use 'canto' or 'borde' for the thin side of a book, table, or coin.

atrapar

/a-tra-par//a.tɾaˈpaɾ/

VerbB1General
Use 'atrapar' when 'corner' means to trap someone physically or to corner them in an argument or difficult situation.
A small, simple cartoon creature looking worried while caught inside a large, restrictive net on green grass.

Examples

El reportero intentó atrapar al político con preguntas incómodas.

The reporter tried to corner the politician with uncomfortable questions.

Los periodistas intentaron atrapar al político con una pregunta difícil.

The journalists tried to corner the politician with a difficult question.

La policía atrapó al ladrón justo cuando intentaba escapar.

The police trapped the thief just as he was trying to escape.

Lo atrapamos en una contradicción, ¡así supimos que mentía!

We caught him out in a contradiction, that's how we knew he was lying!

Inside vs. Outside Corners

Learners often confuse 'rincón' (inside corner) and 'esquina' (outside corner/street corner). Remember that 'rincón' is for where walls meet inside a room, while 'esquina' is for street intersections or the general outer edge of something.

Related Translations

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