Inklingo

How to Say "photos" in Spanish

English → Spanish

fotos

/foh-tohs//'fo.tos/

nounA1common abbreviation
Use 'fotos' as the most common, general-purpose plural of 'photograph,' suitable for everyday conversation and informal contexts.
A small stack of colorful, rectangular printed photographs resting on a flat surface. The visible photos show simple, recognizable images like a flower and the sky.

Examples

Me encanta tomar fotos de paisajes.

I love taking photos of landscapes.

¿Viste las fotos de la fiesta de anoche?

Did you see the pictures from last night's party?

Por favor, envíame las fotos por correo electrónico.

Please, send me the photos by email.

It's Always Feminine!

Even though 'foto' ends in '-o', it's a feminine word. This is a very common exception you should memorize. Always say 'la foto' for one and 'las fotos' for more than one.

Short for 'Fotografía'

'Foto' is the short, and much more common, version of the word 'fotografía'. You can use 'foto' and 'fotos' in almost any situation, from casual chat to a formal presentation.

Using 'el' or 'los'

Mistake: “Me gustan *los* fotos que tomaste.”

Correction: Me gustan *las* fotos que tomaste. Because 'foto' is feminine, any words describing it (like 'the' or 'some') also need to be feminine.

fotografías

nounA1common abbreviation
Use 'fotografías' when referring to photographs in a more formal or descriptive way, often implying a physical or artistic object.

Examples

Encontré unas fotografías antiguas en la caja de mi abuela.

I found some old photographs in my grandmother's box.

imágenes

nounA1digital media
Use 'imágenes' when referring to images in a digital format, such as those found on computers, phones, or the internet.

Examples

Necesito descargar las imágenes del viaje para subirlas a la web.

I need to download the images from the trip to upload them to the website.

Fotos vs. Imágenes

The most common mistake is using 'fotos' when you specifically mean digital files that might not be photographs, like graphics or illustrations. While 'fotos' can sometimes be used for digital photos, 'imágenes' is the more precise term for any digital visual content.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.