Ir a tiro fijo
To go with a fixed shot.
to go straight for something; **to go straight for something**; **to go straight for one's target**; **to know exactly what one wants**; **to go directly for something**; **to head straight for something**; **to go straight to the point**
Ir a tiro fijo means to go straight for something with a clear objective, to proceed directly towards a specific target, or to act with certainty about what one wants.
Cuando voy a comprar ropa, voy a tiro fijo.
When I go clothes shopping, I know exactly what I want.
Fui a tiro fijo a la librería y compré el libro que buscaba.
I went straight to the bookshop and bought the book I was looking for.
Si sabes lo que quieres, ve a tiro fijo.
If you know what you want, go straight for it.
Entró en la tienda a tiro fijo y salió en cinco minutos.
He went straight into the shop and was out in five minutes.
Fue a tiro fijo a hablar con el director.
He went straight to the director to talk to him.
It suggests that someone knows exactly what they are looking for or what they want to achieve and therefore does not need to improvise or waste time.
A common construction is:
Ir a tiro fijo.
→ To go straight for something / to go straight for one's target.
- goes somewhere knowing exactly what they want
- searches directly for a particular thing
- approaches a specific person with a clear purpose
- makes a decision without hesitation
- proceeds directly towards a known objective
- avoids distractions or unnecessary alternatives
The expression comes from the vocabulary of shooting.
A person who shoots a tiro fijo has a clearly determined target and aims directly at it.
The literal image was extended metaphorically to situations in which someone proceeds directly towards a predetermined objective, without wandering or wasting time.
The expression is particularly useful when describing someone who does not browse or hesitate.
For example:
Yo voy a tiro fijo: entro, compro lo que necesito y me voy.
→ I know exactly what I want: I go in, buy what I need and leave.
It can also describe someone who approaches a particular person or objective deliberately:
Fue a tiro fijo a por el responsable.
→ He went straight for the person responsible.
The expression belongs to the same family of shooting metaphors as:
Dar en el blanco.
→ To hit the bull's-eye / to get something exactly right.
and:
Dar en el clavo.
→ To hit the nail on the head.
All three use the imagery of aiming accurately at a target, although their modern meanings are different.
Do not translate:
Voy a tiro fijo.
as:
I'm going with a fixed shot.
Natural English would be:
I know exactly what I want.
I'm going straight for what I want.
I'm going straight there.
The best translation depends on the context.
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