Spanish word

posar

Pronunciation

IPA/poˈsaɾ/

Meaning

  • verbpose

Example

¿Posas para la foto?

Are you posing for the photo?

Illustration for posar (pose)

More examples

No le gusta posar para fotos formales.

She doesn't like to pose for formal photos.

Core concept

Adopt a brief pose for viewing or momentarily settle on a support.

Common phrases

  • posar para el retrato

    pose for the portrait

  • posar de perfil

    pose in profile

  • posar para un fotógrafo

    pose for a photographer

Similar words

ponerse: Assumes a particular posture or facial expression.
colocarse: Moves the body into a specific position or orientation and settles there.
modelar: Strikes and holds stylized poses and expressions for display.

Definition in Spanish

Ponerse en una posición o colocarse momentáneamente en un sitio; en forma pronominal (posarse) suele indicar que algo o alguien se posa o se asienta brevemente.

Word origin

From Vulgar Latin *posare and ultimately from Latin ponere 'to put', the verb develops senses of 'to rest briefly' and 'to assume a pose' as part of the same semantic shift.

Usage tips

  • Despite its similarity to English 'pose', Spanish posar is mainly literal and physical, and abstract senses such as 'pose a problem' use verbs like plantear or formular.

Other meanings

  • set downverb
  • perchverb

Opposites

  • moversemoveverb

Related words

  • poseposenoun
  • posadocomposedadjective

Word lists with this word