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How to Say "catch" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “catch” is “atrapar” — use 'atrapar' when you mean to physically catch a moving object or an animal..

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atrapar

/a-tra-par//a.tɾaˈpaɾ/

verbA2general
Use 'atrapar' when you mean to physically catch a moving object or an animal.
A hand reaching out and successfully catching a bright blue ball mid-air.

Examples

El jardinero logró atrapar a la ardilla en la jaula.

The gardener managed to catch the squirrel in the cage.

Tienes que saltar muy alto para atrapar esa pelota.

You have to jump very high to catch that ball.

Direct Object

The thing being caught (the direct object) often follows the verb directly: 'atrapar la pelota' (catch the ball).

pescado

/pes-KAH-doh//pesˈkaðo/

nounA1general
Use 'pescado' to refer to the actual fish that has been caught, as a food item.
A golden-brown, cooked fish fillet resting on a plain white plate, ready to be eaten.

Examples

Pedimos pescado frito con limón y ensalada.

We ordered fried fish with lemon and salad.

¿Prefieres carne o pescado para cenar?

Do you prefer meat or fish for dinner?

El pescado fresco de hoy está delicioso.

Today's fresh catch is delicious.

Pescado vs. Pez

Use 'pez' when the animal is alive and swimming in the water. Use 'pescado' when the animal has been caught and is ready to be eaten (fish as food).

Confusing the two words

Mistake: “Quiero comer un pez.”

Correction: Quiero comer pescado. (Unless you want to eat a live fish!)

pesca

/PES-kah//ˈpes.ka/

nounA2general
Use 'pesca' to refer to the activity or act of fishing, or the catch of fish as a result.
A quiet scene featuring a person sitting on a wooden dock, holding a fishing rod over a calm blue lake, engaged in the activity of fishing.

Examples

Fuimos de pesca en el mar Caribe y fue muy divertido.

We went fishing in the Caribbean Sea and it was a lot of fun.

La pesca de hoy fue tan buena que tenemos suficiente para toda la semana.

Today's catch was so good that we have enough for the whole week.

El gobierno regula la pesca industrial para proteger las especies.

The government regulates industrial fishing to protect the species.

Feminine Noun Rule

Remember that 'pesca' is a feminine word, so you must use feminine articles and adjectives with it (e.g., 'la pesca', 'una buena pesca').

Pesca vs. Pescado

Mistake: “Using 'pesca' when you mean the food you eat.”

Correction: 'Pesca' is the activity or the raw catch. If you are talking about the fish you eat at dinner, use 'pescado' (the cooked or prepared fish).

tomar

verbA2general
Use 'tomar' when referring to catching a bus, train, or other form of public transport.

Examples

Recomiendo que tomen el metro en lugar del taxi.

I recommend that they take the subway instead of the taxi.

captura

kahp-TOO-rah/kapˈtuɾa/

nounB1formal
Use 'captura' to denote the result of an act of capturing, especially in contexts like police work or hunting.
A close-up view of a person's hand holding a simple net that has gently caught a brightly colored butterfly.

Examples

La policía celebró la captura del ladrón después de meses de búsqueda.

The police celebrated the capture of the thief after months of searching.

¿Me puedes enviar una captura de pantalla de esa conversación?

Can you send me a screenshot of that conversation?

La captura de datos es vital para este análisis.

Data capture is vital for this analysis.

Gender Tip

Remember that 'captura' is always feminine, so you must use feminine articles and adjectives with it (e.g., 'una captura rápida' — a quick capture).

Mixing Noun and Verb

Mistake: “Using 'captura' when you mean the action of capturing: *Quiero captura el momento*.”

Correction: Use the verb form 'capturar': 'Quiero capturar el momento' (I want to capture the moment). 'Captura' is the result or the act itself, not the base verb.

pero

/peh-roh//'pe.ɾo/

nounB2informal
Use 'pero' when 'catch' refers to a drawback, a hidden problem, or a condition in an agreement.
A person's hand holding a magnifying glass over a shiny red apple, as if looking for a small flaw or objection.

Examples

El plan es casi perfecto, solo tiene un pero.

The plan is almost perfect, it just has one drawback.

No le pongas peros a todo lo que digo.

Don't find fault with everything I say.

Todo muy bonito, ¿dónde está el pero?

Everything is very nice, so where's the catch?

A Word for an Idea

When 'pero' is used like this, it's a noun—a word for a thing or an idea. Because it's a masculine noun, you'll see it with words like 'un', 'el', or 'ningún'.

Confusing 'pesca' and 'pescado'

Learners often confuse 'pesca' (the act of fishing or the haul) with 'pescado' (the fish itself). Remember, 'pesca' is the activity or the result of the activity, while 'pescado' is the noun for the fish you eat.

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