saco fotos
/sako fotos/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "I take photos" is said as saco fotos.
This phrase is used to say that you capture images using a camera. The verb sacar is used here to mean "to take."
What does it mean word for word?
The verb sacar literally means "to take out" or "to extract", and in this context, it is used to mean "to take" a photo.
Which one should you use?
While tomar fotos is also common, saco fotos is the standard way to express taking photos in many Spanish-speaking regions.
How does it change in a sentence?
The subject yo (I) is omitted in saco fotos because the verb conjugation saco already indicates the first-person singular. To say 'I take a photo' (singular), you would say saco una foto.
Did you know?
- While saco fotos is common in Spain, people in Mexico and Colombia almost exclusively use tomo fotos. Using sacar in some Latin American countries can sound like you are physically removing a photograph from a frame or an album.
- The word saco is a cognate of the English word 'sack', as both originate from the Latin word saccus for a bag.
- Adding the pronoun yo to saco fotos can change the tone from a simple statement to something that sounds emphatic or dramatic.
Examples in context
- Buenos días, señor. Yo tomo fotos como parte de mi profesión de fotógrafo.Good morning, sir. I take photos as part of my profession as a photographer.
- Me gusta sacar fotos de paisajes.I like to take photos of landscapes.
- Yo saco fotos de la naturaleza.I take photos of nature.
- Saco fotos cuando voy de viaje.I take photos when I go traveling.
- Normalmente saco fotos con mi móvil.I usually take photos with my phone.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are discussing their hobbies at a cafe.
- Alejandro¿Qué haces en tu tiempo libre?What do you do in your free time?
- ElenaYo saco fotos de la ciudad.I take photos of the city.
- Alejandro¡Qué bien! ¿Tienes una cámara?That's great! Do you have a camera?
- ElenaSí, la uso mucho.Yes, I use it a lot.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries saco, CC BY-SA 4.0.
