Inklingo

How to Say "obtaining" in Spanish

English → Spanish

obtención

nounB1
Use 'obtención' when referring to the noun form of the act of acquiring or achieving something, especially official documents, results, or abstract achievements.

Examples

La obtención del título universitario requirió mucho esfuerzo.

Obtaining the university degree required a lot of effort.

sacando

sah-KAHN-dohsaˈkando

verbB1informal
Use 'sacando' (the present participle of 'sacar') when talking about the ongoing action of taking something out, pulling something out, or, colloquially, achieving or getting good results, like grades or points.
A smiling student proudly displaying a large, shiny gold star, symbolizing obtaining a good result or grade.

Examples

El equipo está sacando una ventaja importante en el partido.

The team is getting an important lead in the game.

Él está sacando muy buenas notas este semestre.

He is getting very good grades this semester.

La empresa sigue sacando beneficios a pesar de la crisis.

The company continues getting/earning profits despite the crisis.

Estaban sacando el permiso de residencia cuando yo llegué.

They were obtaining the residency permit when I arrived.

Figurative 'Taking Out'

Think of this meaning as 'pulling out' a result from effort or a process. You pull the grade out of the test, or the profit out of the business.

Noun vs. Verb Usage

The most common mistake is using 'obtención' (a noun) when you need a verb, or using 'sacando' when you mean the abstract act of obtaining something like a permit. Remember 'obtención' is the *act* of getting, while 'sacando' is the *process* of getting or taking.

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