How to Say "to depict" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to depict” is “pintar” — use 'pintar' when referring to the physical act of creating an image with paint, or when describing artistic works that are visually represented.
pintar
peen-TARpinˈtaɾ
Examples
El artista pintó un paisaje impresionante.
The artist painted an impressive landscape.
Picasso pintó obras muy famosas.
Picasso painted very famous works.
¿Qué estás pintando? Parece un paisaje hermoso.
What are you painting? It looks like a beautiful landscape.
Drawing vs. Painting
Mistake: “Using 'dibujar' for applying paint/color.”
Correction: 'Dibujar' (to draw) is for line work, pencil, or sketches. 'Pintar' is for applying paint or color, even if it's a sketch.
retratar
rre-tra-TARretɾaˈtaɾ
Examples
Esta película retrata fielmente la vida de los inmigrantes.
This film faithfully portrays the lives of immigrants.
La novela retrata muy bien la vida en el campo.
The novel portrays life in the countryside very well.
El director retrató la crisis con mucha crudeza.
The director depicted the crisis with great harshness.
Figurative usage
In this context, 'retratar' works exactly like the English 'to portray'—you are using words or film to create a mental picture.
Pintar vs. Retratar
Related Translations
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