How to Say "to capture" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to capture” is “capturar” — use 'capturar' when you mean to physically seize or apprehend a person, animal, or object, or to record data or an image like a screenshot..
capturar
/kap-too-RAR//kap.tuˈɾaɾ/
Examples
La policía logró capturar al ladrón después de una persecución.
The police managed to capture the thief after a chase.
El equipo de científicos fue a la selva para capturar ranas raras.
The team of scientists went to the jungle to catch rare frogs.
Necesito capturar la pantalla para mostrarte el error.
I 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.
The system is designed to automatically capture the information of every user.
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).
Figurative Objects
In this sense, 'capturar' often takes abstract nouns as its object—things like 'atención' (attention), 'imaginación' (imagination), or 'esencia' (essence).
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.
capturar
/kap-too-RAR//kap.tuˈɾaɾ/
Examples
La novela logra capturar la tristeza de esa época de manera brillante.
The novel manages to capture the sadness of that era brilliantly.
La policía logró capturar al ladrón después de una persecución.
The police managed to capture the thief after a chase.
El equipo de científicos fue a la selva para capturar ranas raras.
The team of scientists went to the jungle to catch rare frogs.
Necesito capturar la pantalla para mostrarte el error.
I need to capture the screen (take a screenshot) to show you the error.
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).
Figurative Objects
In this sense, 'capturar' often takes abstract nouns as its object—things like 'atención' (attention), 'imaginación' (imagination), or 'esencia' (essence).
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.
robar
/roh-BAHR//roˈβaɾ/
Examples
Ella se robó el show con su actuación.
She stole the show with her performance.
El corredor intentó robar la segunda base.
The runner tried to steal second base.
Antes de irse, él me robó un beso rápido.
Before leaving, he quickly stole a kiss from me.
Reflexive Use: Robarse
When used to mean 'steal the show' or 'monopolize attention,' 'robar' is often used with 'se' (robarse), indicating the person actively took the focus for themselves.
Capturar vs. Robar for Attention
Related Translations
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