capturar
/kabtuˈɾaɾ/
The English verb 'capture' is translated into Spanish as capturar.
capturar means to take control of something. It is a formal term used in the contexts of photography, technology and law enforcement.
Meaning: take control of (verb)
Which one should you use?
While capturar is used for capturing physical objects, people or abstract concepts like essence, the verb captar is often preferred for capturing or grasping an idea or a subtle nuance.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun form of the verb is captura. In the present tense, the third-person singular indicative is captura and in the preterite, the third-person singular indicative is capturó.
How do you pronounce it?
/kabtuˈɾaɾ/
Did you know?
- The Spanish verb capturar shares a common ancient ancestor with the English word 'capture' and 'company'. Both trace back to the Proto-Indo-European root *kap-, meaning to grasp.
- The verb captar is a near-synonym of capturar, but it is specifically used for the 'capture' of signals, such as a radio or Wi-Fi signal.
- In legal terms, a orden de captura is the specific phrase used for an arrest warrant in several Spanish speaking countries.
Examples in context
- Queremos capturar todas las singularidades de cada lengua. E igualmente, queremos capturar su evolución a través del tiempo.We want to capture all the uniqueness of each language. And we as well want to capture their evolution through time.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use capturar regarding the essence and evolution of languages.Tatoeba #705742 by Shishir, translation #704160 by jakov
- Los corales son animales porque no hacen su propia comida, a diferencia de las plantas. Los corales tienen pequeños brazos en forma de tentáculo, los cuales pueden usar para capturar su comida del agua y llevarla a sus inescrutables bocas.Corals are animals because they do not make their own food, as plants do. Corals have tiny, tentacle-like arms that they use to capture their food from the water and sweep into their inscrutable mouths.This sentence shows the use of capturar in a biological context regarding food.Tatoeba #8252681 by MilkFrosties, translation #6684489 by Hybrid
- Para ser sincero, vinimos a capturarte.To be honest, we came to capture you.This sentence demonstrates a direct use of capturar with a person.Tatoeba #2045293 by wiichi, translation #800924 by FeuDRenais2
- La policía capturó al criminal más buscado en el país.The police captured the most wanted criminal in the country.
- Quiero capturar esta hermosa imagen del atardecer.I want to capture this beautiful sunset image.
- Las autoridades lograron capturar al ladrón tras una extensa investigación.The authorities managed to capture the thief after an extensive investigation.
- El fotógrafo logró capturar la esencia de la ciudad en su obra maestra.The photographer managed to capture the essence of the city in his masterpiece.
- El ejército logró apresar al líder del grupo terrorista.The army managed to capture the leader of the terrorist group.
- La policía apresó al delincuente antes de que pudiera escapar.The police captured the criminal before he could escape.
- Espero atrapar todos los Pokémon en este nuevo videojuego.I hope to catch all the Pokémon in this new video game.
- La araña me atrapó en su tela.The spider caught me in its web.
- No puedo creer que el gato haya cazado un ratón en el jardín.I can't believe the cat caught a mouse in the garden.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two police officers are discussing a suspect during a chase.
- MaríaTenemos que capturar al sospechoso ahora.We have to capture the suspect now.
- AlejandroEstoy intentando capturar su rastro.I am trying to capture his trail.
- MaríaEl equipo logró capturar al hombre.The team managed to capture the man.
- AlejandroExcelente, Alejandro ya tiene el control.Excellent, Alejandro already has control.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “capture” translations and entries capturar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries capturar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
