sacar una foto
/sakaɾ una foto/from spelling rules
In Spanish, 'take a photo' is expressed as sacar una foto.
This phrase is used to describe the act of capturing an image using a camera. A common synonym for this expression is tomar una foto.
What does it mean word for word?
The verb sacar literally means 'to take out' or 'to extract', which is why it is used for 'taking' a photo in Spanish.
Which one should you use?
While sacar una foto is very common in Spain, tomar una foto is often preferred in many parts of Latin America.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico and other Latin American countries, you can use sacar una foto to mean 'to take a photo'. In Spain, people often say hacer una foto or hacer una fotografía instead of tomar una foto.
How do you pronounce it?
/sakaɾ una foto/
Did you know?
- In certain historical contexts, the root of sacar is linked to the Gothic word sakan, which meant 'to dispute' or 'to rebuke'.
- The word foto is a clipping of fotografía, which comes from the Greek roots for 'light' and 'drawing'.
- While sacar una foto is common, people in Spain frequently use the verb hacer, which means 'to make' or 'to do'.
Examples in context
- ¿Puedo sacar una foto?May I take a photo?This sentence is useful for asking permission to use the phrase sacar una foto.Tatoeba #497578 by Shishir, translation #456373 by lukaszpp
- Por favor, toma una foto de nosotros junto a la estatua.Please, take a photo of us next to the statue.
- ¡Saca una foto de esto!Take a photo of this!
- Voy a sacar una foto de este paisaje.I am going to take a photo of this landscape.
- Ella quiere sacar una foto de su perro.She wants to take a photo of her dog.
Example conversation
Lucía and Daniel are visiting a museum.
- LucíaDaniel, ¿puedes sacar una foto de nosotros?Daniel, can you take a photo of us?
- DanielSí, Lucía. Sonríe para la cámara.Yes, Lucía. Smile for the camera.
- Lucía¡Perfecto! Gracias por sacar una foto.Perfect! Thanks for taking a photo.
- DanielDe nada. Quedó muy bien.You're welcome. It turned out great.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries foto, sacar, una, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
