Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ficha | /ˈfit͡ʃa/ | feminine |
| foto fisonómica | /foto fisonomika/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| toma facial | /toma faθjal/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /toma fasjal/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
feminine |
The specific term used often depends on the context, such as whether you are discussing professional photography, a CV or technical documentation.
Which one should you use?
The various forms in Spanish are specialized: toma facial is a technical term for a facial shot used in photography or law enforcement, while foto fisonómica and ficha provide other ways to describe a portrait. For more professional contexts, you might use foto de retrato for a general portrait photo, foto de perfil for a profile photo (such as for a CV) or foto ejecutiva specifically for a business or executive headshot.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In formal settings, you can use foto de retrato, foto de perfil or foto ejecutiva to describe professional headshots. For technical discussions involving photography or law enforcement, use the term toma facial. In informal situations, such as when asking someone for a photo for their resume, you can say foto para tu CV o currículum.
How does it change in a sentence?
All the provided forms are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈfitʃa/
Did you know?
- While ficha means 'headshot' in a forensic or administrative context, it is also the common word for a game token, a chip in poker or a library card.
- The term foto fisonómica relates to 'physiognomy', the historical and now pseudoscientific practice of judging a person's character from their facial features.
- While toma translates to 'shot' in photography, it comes from the verb tomar, which means 'to take' or 'to drink'. In Spanish, you do not 'shoot' a photo, you 'take' it.
Examples in context
- ¿Cómo se dice 'headshot' en español?How do you say 'headshot' in Spanish?
Example conversation
Two actors are discussing their portfolios.
- AlejandroMaría, ¿ya tienes tu ficha nueva?María, do you have your new headshot yet?
- MaríaNo, todavía no he ido al estudio.No, I haven't gone to the studio yet.
- AlejandroDeberías actualizar tu ficha pronto.You should update your headshot soon.
- MaríaTienes razón, lo haré mañana.You're right, I'll do it tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “headshot” translations and entries ficha, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
