revelar película
/rebelaɾ pelikula/from spelling rules
To say develop film in Spanish, use revelar película.
This is the phrase for processing photographic film so the pictures appear, whether at home in a darkroom or in a photo lab.
What does it mean word for word?
revelar means to develop, and also to reveal. película means film.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The sound written θ in Spain is pronounced like s in Latin America, but this phrase has none, so it sounds much the same everywhere.
How does it change in a sentence?
revelar is the verb, so it changes for the person, while película stays the same.
How do you pronounce it?
The accent in película marks the stressed syllable.
Did you know?
- The word película comes from the Latin word for 'little skin'. This refers to the thin, skin-like quality of the celluloid strip used in photography.
- In Spanish, revelar is used for both developing a photograph and revealing a secret. The phrase literally describes the act of making a hidden image visible.
- While 'develop' in English often implies growth or improvement, the Spanish revelar focuses exclusively on the act of making the hidden image visible.
Example conversation
María and Alejandro are talking about an old camera.
- MaríaAlejandro, ¿todavía sabes revelar película?Alejandro, do you still know how to develop film?
- AlejandroSí, María, pero no tengo los químicos.Yes, María, but I don't have the chemicals.
- MaríaPodemos comprar todo para revelar película juntos.We can buy everything to develop film together.
- AlejandroMe parece una idea excelente.I think that's an excellent idea.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries película, revelar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
