fotografía
“fotografía” means “photograph” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
photograph, photo
Also: picture
📝 In Action
Esta fotografía de la montaña es preciosa.
A1This photograph of the mountain is beautiful.
¿Puedes mandarme la fotografía que tomamos ayer?
A2Can you send me the picture we took yesterday?
Encontré una vieja fotografía de mis abuelos.
A1I found an old photograph of my grandparents.
photography
📝 In Action
Estudió fotografía en la universidad.
B1She studied photography at the university.
La fotografía requiere mucha paciencia y buena luz.
B2Photography requires a lot of patience and good light.
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: fotografía
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'fotografía' to mean the profession or hobby?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
This word comes from ancient Greek roots. 'Phōs' means 'light,' and 'graphē' means 'drawing or writing.' So, a photograph is literally 'writing with light.'
First recorded: Mid-19th century (coinciding with the invention of the process)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'foto' the same as 'fotografía'?
Yes, 'foto' is simply the common, shortened version of 'fotografía.' They mean exactly the same thing (the picture itself). Just remember that both are feminine words (la fotografía, la foto).
How do I say 'to take a picture'?
The most common way is 'tomar una fotografía' or 'sacar una fotografía.' You would use the verb 'fotografiar' if you mean 'to photograph' something specific, like 'El artista fotografió la escena' (The artist photographed the scene).