atinar

A common colloquial verb for getting something right, hitting the mark, or managing to do something correctly — atinarle a la respuesta, no atino a explicarlo. It's used constantly in everyday speech, especially across Latin America, for guessing correctly or successfully managing a tricky action.

• No atiné a decir nada en ese momento. — I couldn't manage to say anything at that moment.
• Atinó la respuesta a la primera. — She got the answer right on the first try.
• El niño atinó el balón directo a la portería. — The kid hit the ball right into the goal.

Using atinar as a plain synonym for acertar without the sense of managing to do something under difficulty — atinar often implies success despite confusion, nerves, or a tricky situation, not just being correct in the abstract.

Often confused with acertar.