recortar una foto
/rekoɾtaɾ una foto/from spelling rules
To crop a picture in Spanish is recortar una foto.
The phrase is used to describe the action of removing the outer edges of an image to improve its composition or to change its size.
What does it mean word for word?
The verb recortar literally means 'to cut out' or 'to trim', which is the action used for cropping an image.
Which one should you use?
While recortar una foto means to crop 'a' picture, you can replace the indefinite article una with the definite article la to say recortar la foto, which means 'to crop the picture'.
How do you pronounce it?
/rekoɾtaɾ una foto/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, recortar also means 'to make budget cuts'. When a government reduces spending, they are said to be recortando the budget.
- The verb recortar shares a common ancestor with the English word 'curt', which means 'rudely brief' or 'shortened'. Both words stem from the same ancient root meaning 'to cut'.
- The verb recortar is used for both digital cropping and physical cutting. It is the same word used to describe trimming a hedge or cutting a coupon from a newspaper.
Examples in context
- Puedes recortar la imagen para enfocarte solo en el sujeto principal.You can crop the picture to focus only on the main subject.
- Vamos a cortar la foto para eliminar el fondo no deseado.We're going to crop the photo to remove the unwanted background.
- Podemos recortar la imagen y cambiarle el tamaño para que se ajuste al marco.We can crop the image and resize it to fit the frame.
- Necesito recortar la foto para que se vea mejor.I need to crop the photo so it looks better.
- Necesito recortar una foto para el perfil.I need to crop a picture for my profile.
- Puedes recortar una foto en este teléfono.You can crop a picture on this phone.
- Voy a recortar una foto para que se vea mejor.I am going to crop a picture so it looks better.
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena are editing photos on a laptop.
- MateoEsta imagen es muy ancha, voy a recortar una foto.This image is too wide, I'm going to crop a picture.
- ElenaTienes razón, así se verá mucho mejor.You're right, it will look much better that way.
- MateoElena, ¿crees que debo recortar una foto más?Elena, do you think I should crop another picture?
- ElenaNo, creo que ya están perfectas.No, I think they are perfect already.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries foto, recortar, una, CC BY-SA 4.0.
