capturar
/kap-too-RAR/
to capture
Capturing (capturar) a butterfly with a net.
capturar(verb)
to capture
?physically seizing a person, animal, or object
,to seize
?taking control of something
to arrest
?of law enforcement
,to catch
?an animal or fugitive
📝 In Action
La policía logró capturar al ladrón después de una persecución.
A2The police managed to capture the thief after a chase.
El equipo de científicos fue a la selva para capturar ranas raras.
B1The team of scientists went to the jungle to catch rare frogs.
💡 Grammar Points
Direct Object Placement
Like many Spanish verbs, you can attach the direct object pronoun (lo, la, los, las) directly to the end of 'capturar' when it's in the infinitive: 'Quieren capturarlo' (They want to capture him).
⭐ Usage Tips
Formal vs. Informal Catch
While 'coger' or 'agarrar' might mean 'to catch' in some regions, 'capturar' is the standard, more formal way to talk about catching criminals or animals.
Capturing (capturar) an image with a camera.
capturar(verb)
to capture
?to record data or an image
,to screenshot
?taking a screen image
to log
?data entry
,to obtain
?data in computing
📝 In Action
Necesito capturar la pantalla para mostrarte el error.
B1I need to capture the screen (take a screenshot) to show you the error.
El sistema está diseñado para capturar automáticamente la información de cada usuario.
B2The system is designed to automatically capture the information of every user.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'Tomar' for Screenshots
Mistake: "Tomar una pantalla."
Correction: Although 'tomar' means 'to take,' in computing contexts, 'capturar la pantalla' or the noun 'pantallazo' are much more common for screenshots.
Capturing (capturar) someone's attention.
capturar(verb)
to capture
?to attract and hold attention/interest
,to convey
?to express the essence of something
to grasp
?to understand an idea fully
📝 In Action
La novela logra capturar la tristeza de esa época de manera brillante.
B2The novel manages to capture the sadness of that era brilliantly.
Su discurso capturó inmediatamente la atención del público.
C1His speech immediately captured the audience's attention.
💡 Grammar Points
Figurative Objects
In this sense, 'capturar' often takes abstract nouns as its object—things like 'atención' (attention), 'imaginación' (imagination), or 'esencia' (essence).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
preterite
present
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: capturar
Question 1 of 2
Which translation of 'capturar' best fits the sentence: 'La fotógrafa supo capturar la luz perfecta del amanecer'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre 'capturar' y 'atrapar'?
Both mean 'to catch,' but 'capturar' is often used for deliberate, strategic seizure (like arresting a person or recording data), while 'atrapar' is more commonly used for physical catching, like catching a ball or catching a cold.
Can I use 'capturar' when talking about screen recording a video?
Yes, absolutely. In modern Spanish, 'capturar la pantalla' is the standard phrase for taking a screenshot, and it can also refer to recording video or data from a screen.