What is the difference between esquina and rincon?

Question

Is there a difference in the usuage of these two nouns, for eample would one be interior such as the corner of a room, and one be exterior such as a table corner?

Answer 1

Yes, "rincón" is a corner of a room, a nook, etc. "Esquina" is the corner of a street, etc.

"Esquina" can also be used figuratively:

Las vacaciones están a la vuelta de la esquina" (The holidays are just around the corner.)

Great answer Marianne :) - Izanoni1, Jun 20, 2010

Answer 2

As mentioned above and .......

Spanish needs both because it does not have the prepositions "in" and "on" - but only "en".

So the difference cannot be made just using a preposition.

English can say "in the corner" and "on the corner" - one implies the inside corner anfd the other the outside corner.

Interesting point - 003487d6, Jun 20, 2010

yes...very - Izanoni1, Jun 20, 2010

Aha, here is the new thing I learn today. Thanks. - margaretbl, Jun 20, 2010

Answer 3

Hi, yes, I would say that "rincón" refers to inside corner, of a room, for instance.

"Esquina" is used for the outside corner of something, such as a table or a book, or for a street corner. It is used in expressions such as "to be around the corner" - "está a la vuelta de la esquina" or "corner shop" - "tienda de esquina".

I believe that "esquina" or "córner" would be used for a corner in sport, the latter term being used for a corner kick.

I have also seen "rincón" used in the name of bars, restaurants etc, as in "El Rincón de Rafa", something along the lines of "Rafa's Place"