Inklingo

How to Say "to film" in Spanish

English → Spanish

filmar

feel-MAHR/filˈmaɾ/

verbA2general
Use 'filmar' when you want to generally refer to the act of making a movie or recording video content.
A colorful storybook illustration of a smiling cartoon character operating a professional video camera on a tripod.

Examples

Están filmando un documental sobre la vida marina en el Caribe.

They are filming a documentary about marine life in the Caribbean.

Mi abuelo filmó toda mi niñez con una cámara antigua.

My grandfather filmed my whole childhood with an old camera.

Necesitamos filmar la escena de nuevo porque hubo mucho ruido.

We need to shoot the scene again because there was a lot of noise.

A Regular AR Verb

Like many common Spanish verbs (hablar, estudiar), 'filmar' follows the most common pattern for conjugations. Just remember to drop the '-ar' and add the correct endings for each tense.

Confusing 'Filmar' and 'Grabar'

Mistake: “Using 'filmar' when talking about recording only audio (e.g., 'Filmar una canción').”

Correction: Use 'grabar' for general recording, especially audio. 'Filmar' is best for visual recording (video or cinema). The correct phrase is 'Grabar una canción'.

rodar

/roh-dar//roˈðaɾ/

verbB1general
Use 'rodar' specifically when referring to the action of shooting or capturing scenes for a film or series, often implying the active production phase.
A high quality simple colorful storybook illustration depicting a large, professional video camera mounted on a tripod, aimed at a bright spotlight.

Examples

¿Dónde van a rodar la nueva serie de ciencia ficción?

Where are they going to film the new science fiction series?

La película fue rodada en blanco y negro.

The movie was shot in black and white.

El director está rodando su escena favorita hoy.

The director is shooting his favorite scene today.

Passive Voice with Rodar

This meaning is often used in the passive voice to describe where a film was made: 'La película fue rodada en Madrid' (The movie was filmed in Madrid).

Using 'Disparar'

Mistake: “Using 'disparar' (to shoot a gun) for filming.”

Correction: Always use 'rodar' or 'filmar' when talking about cameras and movies, not 'disparar'.

Filmar vs. Rodar

Learners often confuse 'filmar' and 'rodar' because both relate to making movies. Remember that 'filmar' is the broader term for filming, while 'rodar' specifically focuses on the shooting or principal photography stage of a film's production.

Related Translations

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