foto

See also: foto-, fotó, and Foto

English

Noun

foto (plural fotos)

1. (nonstandard, informal) Alternative spelling of photo
   • 1909, sign on an Atlantic City (New Jersey) beach, photographed and shown in National Geographic (August 2015), volume 228, number 2, page 132:

     Have your foto
     in a bathingsuit

   • 1977 April 23, “Personal advertisement”, in Gay Community News, page 18:

     Reply with foto and phone to GCN box 719

   • 2000, Sam George Arcus, Deja Views of an Aging Orphan: Growing Up in the Hebrew National Orphan Home, →ISBN:

     But it didn't matter, fotos or drawings. They were all illustrations of tall, slinky girls with abnormally large breasts striving to be contained within abnormally small brassieres […]

Anagrams

• Foot, foot, ooft, toof

Afrikaans

Etymology

From Dutch foto.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfʊə̯.tʊə̯/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

foto (plural foto's, diminutive foto'tjie)

1. photo; photograph

Asturian

Noun

foto f (plural fotos)

1. photograph (picture)

Synonyms

• fotografía

Catalan

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central) [ˈfo.tu]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic, Valencia) [ˈfo.to]

Etymology 1

Clipping of fotografia.

Noun

foto f (plural fotos)

1. photograph

Derived terms

• autofoto

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

foto

1. first-person singular present indicative of fotre

Further reading

• “foto” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈfoto]

Noun

foto n

1. (informal) photo

   Synonym: fotografie

Declension

Declension of foto (hard neuter)

	singular	plural
nominative	foto	fota
genitive	fota	fot
dative	fotu	fotům
accusative	foto	fota
vocative	foto	fota
locative	fotu	fotech
instrumental	fotem	foty

Related terms

• See foto-

Further reading

• “foto”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “foto”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989

Danish

Etymology

Abbreviation of fotografi (“photograph”), from English photo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈfod̥o]

Noun

foto n (singular definite fotoet, plural indefinite fotoer or fotos)

1. photo

Inflection

Declension of foto

neuter gender	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	foto	fotoet	fotoer fotos	fotoerne fotoene
genitive	fotos	fotoets	fotoers fotos'	fotoernes fotoenes

Dutch

Etymology

Clipping of fotografie.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfoː.toː/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: fo‧to
• Rhymes: -oːtoː

Noun

foto f (plural foto's, diminutive fotootje n)

1. photo, photograph

Derived terms

• actiefoto
• babyfoto
• fotoalbum
• fotobom
• fotocamera
• fotocollage
• fotojournalist
• fotolijst
• fotomodel
• fotomontage
• fotoreportage
• fotosessie
• fotostudio
• fototentoonstelling
• fototoestel
• klassenfoto
• kleurenfoto
• luchtfoto
• montagefoto
• naaktfoto
• panoramafoto
• pasfoto
• persfoto
• portretfoto
• profielfoto
• röntgenfoto
• satellietfoto
• schoolfoto
• trouwfoto

Descendants

• Afrikaans: foto
• → Caribbean Hindustani: foto
• → Caribbean Javanese: foto
• → Indonesian: foto
• → Sranan Tongo: fowtow

Anagrams

• ooft

Esperanto

Etymology

Clipping of fotografaĵo.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

foto (accusative singular foton, plural fotoj, accusative plural fotojn)

1. photo

Synonyms

• fotografaĵo

Related terms

• foti (“to photograph”)

Estonian

Noun

foto (genitive foto, partitive fotot)

1. photograph, photo

Declension

Declension of foto (ÕS type 16/pere, no gradation)
		singular	plural
nominative		foto	fotod
accusative	nom.
	gen.	foto
genitive			fotode
partitive		fotot	fotosid
illative		fotto fotosse	fotodesse
inessive		fotos	fotodes
elative		fotost	fotodest
allative		fotole	fotodele
adessive		fotol	fotodel
ablative		fotolt	fotodelt
translative		fotoks	fotodeks
terminative		fotoni	fotodeni
essive		fotona	fotodena
abessive		fotota	fotodeta
comitative		fotoga	fotodega

Related terms

• fotograaf
• fotograafia

Further reading

• “foto”, in [EKSS] Eesti keele seletav sõnaraamat [Descriptive Dictionary of the Estonian Language] (in Estonian) (online version), Tallinn: Eesti Keele Sihtasutus (Estonian Language Foundation), 2009
• “foto”, in [ÕS] Eesti õigekeelsussõnaraamat ÕS 2018 [Estonian Spelling Dictionary] (in Estonian) (online version), Tallinn: Eesti Keele Sihtasutus (Estonian Language Foundation), 2018, →ISBN
• foto in Sõnaveeb (Eesti Keele Instituut)

Finnish

Etymology

From Swedish foto.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfoto/, [ˈfo̞t̪o̞]
• Rhymes: -oto
• Hyphenation^(key): fo‧to

Noun

foto (informal)

1. photo

Declension

Inflection of foto (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)
nominative		foto	fotot
genitive		foton	fotojen
partitive		fotoa	fotoja
illative		fotoon	fotoihin
		singular	plural
nominative		foto	fotot
accusative	nom.	foto	fotot
	gen.	foton
genitive		foton	fotojen
partitive		fotoa	fotoja
inessive		fotossa	fotoissa
elative		fotosta	fotoista
illative		fotoon	fotoihin
adessive		fotolla	fotoilla
ablative		fotolta	fotoilta
allative		fotolle	fotoille
essive		fotona	fotoina
translative		fotoksi	fotoiksi
abessive		fototta	fotoitta
instructive		—	fotoin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of foto (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative fotoni fotoni accusative nom. fotoni fotoni gen. fotoni genitive fotoni fotojeni partitive fotoani fotojani inessive fotossani fotoissani elative fotostani fotoistani illative fotooni fotoihini adessive fotollani fotoillani ablative fotoltani fotoiltani allative fotolleni fotoilleni essive fotonani fotoinani translative fotokseni fotoikseni abessive fotottani fotoittani instructive — — comitative — fotoineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative fotosi fotosi accusative nom. fotosi fotosi gen. fotosi genitive fotosi fotojesi partitive fotoasi fotojasi inessive fotossasi fotoissasi elative fotostasi fotoistasi illative fotoosi fotoihisi adessive fotollasi fotoillasi ablative fotoltasi fotoiltasi allative fotollesi fotoillesi essive fotonasi fotoinasi translative fotoksesi fotoiksesi abessive fotottasi fotoittasi instructive — — comitative — fotoinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative fotomme fotomme accusative nom. fotomme fotomme gen. fotomme genitive fotomme fotojemme partitive fotoamme fotojamme inessive fotossamme fotoissamme elative fotostamme fotoistamme illative fotoomme fotoihimme adessive fotollamme fotoillamme ablative fotoltamme fotoiltamme allative fotollemme fotoillemme essive fotonamme fotoinamme translative fotoksemme fotoiksemme abessive fotottamme fotoittamme instructive — — comitative — fotoinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative fotonne fotonne accusative nom. fotonne fotonne gen. fotonne genitive fotonne fotojenne partitive fotoanne fotojanne inessive fotossanne fotoissanne elative fotostanne fotoistanne illative fotoonne fotoihinne adessive fotollanne fotoillanne ablative fotoltanne fotoiltanne allative fotollenne fotoillenne essive fotonanne fotoinanne translative fotoksenne fotoiksenne abessive fotottanne fotoittanne instructive — — comitative — fotoinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative fotonsa fotonsa accusative nom. fotonsa fotonsa gen. fotonsa genitive fotonsa fotojensa partitive fotoaan fotoansa fotojaan fotojansa inessive fotossaan fotossansa fotoissaan fotoissansa elative fotostaan fotostansa fotoistaan fotoistansa illative fotoonsa fotoihinsa adessive fotollaan fotollansa fotoillaan fotoillansa ablative fotoltaan fotoltansa fotoiltaan fotoiltansa allative fotolleen fotollensa fotoilleen fotoillensa essive fotonaan fotonansa fotoinaan fotoinansa translative fotokseen fotoksensa fotoikseen fotoiksensa abessive fotottaan fotottansa fotoittaan fotoittansa instructive — — comitative — fotoineen fotoinensa

Synonyms

• valokuva

Further reading

• “foto”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[2] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-02

Fula

Adjective

foto

1. (Maasina) how many people

   Yimɓe foto ngollata ɗo.

   How many people work here?

   Miɗo yiɗi ndaarude yimɓe foto keƴata ley mobel ngel.

   I want to see how many people can fit into the truck.

References

• Richard Smith, Urs Niggli, Dictionnaire fulfulde - anglais - français, Webonary.org, SIL International, 2016.

Galician

Etymology

Clipping of fotografía.

Noun

foto f (plural fotos)

1. photo

Further reading

• “foto”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2025

Ido

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek φῶς, φωτός (phôs, phōtós, “light”).

Noun

foto (uncountable)

1. (physics) light

Synonyms

• lumo

Indonesian

Etymology

From Dutch foto.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /ˈfoto/ [ˈfo.t̪o]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -oto
• Syllabification: fo‧to

Noun

foto (plural foto-foto)

1. photograph; photo

   Synonyms: fotograf, potret

2. (figurative) image

   Synonyms: bayangan, gambaran, pantulan

Derived terms

• berfoto
• memfoto
• memfotoi
• memfotokan
• swafoto

• foto finis
• foto jarak jauh
• foto licin
• foto negatif
• foto topeng

Related terms

• fotograf
• fotografer
• fotografi
• fotografis
• pasfoto

Further reading

• “foto” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.

Italian

Etymology

Clipping of fotografia.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfɔ.to/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔto
• Hyphenation: fò‧to

Noun

foto f (invariable)

1. photo, snap

Anagrams

• tofo

Latin

Participle

fōtō

1. dative/ablative masculine/neuter singular of fōtus

Moore

Etymology

Borrowed from French photo.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /fo.to/

Noun

foto

1. photograph

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

Short form of fotografi (“photograph”), from English photo

Noun

foto n (definite singular fotoet, indefinite plural foto or fotoer, definite plural fotoa or fotoene)

1. photo

Derived terms

• fargefoto
• flyfoto
• fotoalbum
• fotoapparat
• fotokopi
• fotokopiere
• fotomontasje
• fotopapir
• luftfoto
• passfoto

References

• “foto” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

Short form of fotografi (“photograph”), from English photo

Noun

foto n (definite singular fotoet, indefinite plural foto, definite plural fotoa)

1. photo

Derived terms

• fargefoto
• flyfoto
• fotoalbum
• fotoapparat
• fotokopi
• fotomontasje
• fotopapir
• passfoto

References

• “foto” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Polish

Etymology

Clipping of fotografia.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfɔ.tɔ/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔtɔ
• Syllabification: fo‧to
• Homophone: foto-

Noun

foto n

1. (colloquial, photography) photo

   Synonyms: fotka, fotografia, zdjęcie

Adjective

foto (not comparable, no derived adverb)

1. (colloquial, photography, relational) photographic

   Synonym: fotograficzny

Further reading

• foto in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Portuguese

Etymology

Clipping of fotografia.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈfɔ.tu/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈfɔ.tu/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈfɔ.to/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈfɔ.tɔ/, /ˈfɔ.tu/

Noun

foto f (plural fotos)

2. photo; photograph

   Synonym: fotografia

Related terms

• foto-
• fotográfico
• fotógrafo

Romanian

Etymology

Clipping of fotografie.

Noun

foto n (plural foto-uri)

1. (rare) photo

   Synonyms: poză, fotografie

Declension

Declension of foto

	singular			plural
	indefinite	definite		indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	foto	foto-ul		foto-uri	foto-urile
genitive-dative	foto	foto-ului		foto-uri	foto-urilor
vocative	foto-ule			foto-urilor

Spanish

Etymology

Clipping of fotografía.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfoto/ [ˈfo.t̪o]

• Audio (Colombia):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -oto
• Syllabification: fo‧to

Noun

foto f (plural fotos)

1. photo, photograph

   ¿Puede sacar una foto por favor?

   Could you take a photo please?

Derived terms

• álbum de fotos
• autofoto
• fotaza, fotazo
• foto de familia

Related terms

• fotografía (“photograph”)
• fotografiar (“to photograph, to take a photograph”)
• fotógrafo (“photographer”)
• sesión de fotos

Further reading

• “foto”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10

Sranan Tongo

FWOTD – 18 April 2025

Foto

Etymology

From English fort, from Middle French fort (“strong”). Originally, this word meant "fort" and specifically referred to Fort Zeelandia, but since Fort Zeelandia and Paramaribo are closely connected, the meaning was transferred to the latter. Nowadays, it can refer to any town.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfoto/, [ˈfʊ̞tʊ̞], [ˈfɔ̝tɔ̝]

Noun

foto

1. city, town
   • c. 1885, Johannes King, “Skrekiboekoe [Book of horrors]”, in Jan Voorhoeve, Ursy M. Lichtveld, editors, Suriname: Spiegel der vaderlandse kooplieden‎^[3], Den Haag: Martinus Nijhoff, published 1980, →ISBN, pages 108, 110:

     En ala dem ouloetem gran avoo vo wi ben de Afrikan ningre na ningre kondre. Na janda dem ouroetem bakra go bai dem avoo vo wi potti na ini sipi tjari koti habra da bigi soutoe watra, en dem tjari dem kom doro dia na foto Paramaribo.

     [Èn ala den owruten granawo fu wi ben de Afrikan nengre na nengrekondre. Na yanda den owruten bakra go bai den awo fu wi poti na ini sipi tyari koti abra a bigi sowtu watra èn den tyari den kon doro dya na foto Paramaribo]

     And all our forefathers of the olden days were African negroes from negro-country. It was over there that the whites of old went and bought our forefathers and put them in ships to take them across the big salt water, and brought them here to the city of Paramaribo.

   • 1989 April 1, “Na pori fu wan nâsi [The destruction of a nation]”, in A waktitoren‎^[4], Selters-Taunus: Wachtturm-Gesellschaft (Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses), page 41:

     Owru foto ben abi hey skotu èn kofarliki bigi doro. Fu sroto den doro disi, dan den ben greni den na inisey nanga langa isri ofu brons barki.

     Old cities had high walls and huge gates. To lock these gates, they bolted them shut on the inside with long iron or bronze bars.

   • 2022, “Moi les di yu kan leri fu Bijbel”, in Yehovah Kotoigi [Jehovah's Witnesses]‎^[5], Les 52: Wan bigi legre di de leki faya:

     Di a kon sabi taki Elisa ben de na ini a foto Dotan, a seni a legre fu Siria fu go teki en.

     When he found out that Elisha was in the city of Dothan, he sent an army from Syria to capture him.

2. (archaic) Synonym of benfoto (“fort, fortress”)

Proper noun

foto

1. (informal) Synonym of Paramaribo (the capital city of Suriname)
   • 1783, C. L. Schumann, “bringi”, in Neger-Englisches Wörterbuch [Negro English Dictionary]‎^[6] (in German), archived from the original on 8 February 2023:

     na fotto dem no habi da muffe so menni; da Djutongo: ma nuffe plantasi habi hem.

     [Na foto, den no abi a mofo someni; na Dyutongo. Ma nofo pranasi abi en.]

     In the city, they don't have [use] this word so much; it's Saramaccan. But enough plantations have [use] it.

   • 1856, Heinrich Wullschlägel, Deutsch-negerenglisches Wörterbuch. Nebst einem Anhang, negerenglische Sprüchwörter enthaltend [German-Negro English dictionary. Containing, in addition to an appendix, Negro English proverbs]‎^[7] (in German), Löbau: J.U. Duroldt, page 138:

     nomo mi doro na pranasi so pram, wantem mi seni hem go na foto.

     [Nomo mi doro na pranasi so pran, wanten mi seni en go na foto.]

     I had barely arrived at the plantation, when I sent him into town immediately.

   • 1960, Big Jones And His Kawina Band, “Ala Pikin Nengre”, in Suriname‎^[8]:

     Ala pikinnengre / te we go na foto / unu mu luku den bon / nanga den strati tu

     All you kids / when we go into town / have a look at the trees / and the streets too

   • 1974 June 29, Fred W. Omskirk Sr., “Manspasi”, in Vrije Stem: onafhankelijk weekblad voor Suriname‎^[9], page 1:

     Ef mi ben sab pe joe grebi de, / mi gran afo, di krodong tjari / kon na Sranan, / so farawe fjoe eegi doti, / biten tédei, Manspasidei / psa hondro jari di keti koti, / mi ben sa saka libi foto, / mi ben sa pari mi eegi boto / f'kon saka kiendie na joe sei.

     [Efu mi ben sabi pe yu grebi de / mi gran afo, di krodon tyari / kon na Sranan, / so farawe fu yu eigi doti / biten tide, Manspasidei / psa hondro yari di keti koti / mi ben sa saka libi foto / mi ben sa pari mi eigi boto / fu kon saka kindi na yu sei.]

     If I knew where your grave was, my grand ancestor, whom forced labour / brought to Suriname / so far away from your own native soil, / early today, Emancipation Day / hundred years after the chains were broken, / I would have left the city, / I would have paddled my own boat / to come and kneel by your side.

Usage notes

• Sense 2: within Paramaribo, "foto" refers specifically to down town. However, outside of Paramaribo, it can denote any location in town.

Derived terms

• Bakafoto
• benfoto
• edefoto
• foto-awari
• fotodu
• fotogotro
• fotokrioro
• fotoman
• fotonengre
• fotosei
• fotosma
• Fotosranantongo
• fototongo
• mamafoto
• Nyunfoto
• Porifoto

Descendants

• Aukan: foto
• Saramaccan: fóto

Swedish

Noun

foto n

1. photo

Declension

Declension of foto

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	foto	fotos
	definite	fotot	fotots
plural	indefinite	foton	fotons
	definite	fotona	fotonas

Synonyms

• bild
• fotografi

Related terms

• fotograf
• fotografera
• fotografisk

Further reading

• foto in Svensk ordbok.

Ternate

Etymology

From Indonesian foto, from Dutch foto.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈfo.to]

Noun

foto

1. a photograph

References

• Rika Hayami-Allen (2001) A descriptive study of the language of Ternate, the northern Moluccas, Indonesia, University of Pittsburgh

Turkish

Etymology

Clipping of fotoğraf

Noun

foto (definite accusative fotoyu, plural fotolar)

1. photo

Declension

Declension of foto

	singular	plural
nominative	foto	fotolar
definite accusative	fotoyu	fotoları
dative	fotoya	fotolara
locative	fotoda	fotolarda
ablative	fotodan	fotolardan
genitive	fotonun	fotoların

Veps

Etymology

Borrowed from Russian фо́то (fóto).

Noun

foto

1. photograph

Inflection

Inflection of foto (inflection type 1/ilo)
nominative sing.	foto
genitive sing.	foton
partitive sing.	fotod
partitive plur.	fotoid
	singular	plural
nominative	foto	fotod
accusative	foton	fotod
genitive	foton	fotoiden
partitive	fotod	fotoid
essive-instructive	foton	fotoin
translative	fotoks	fotoikš
inessive	fotos	fotoiš
elative	fotospäi	fotoišpäi
illative	fotho fotoho	fotoihe
adessive	fotol	fotoil
ablative	fotolpäi	fotoilpäi
allative	fotole	fotoile
abessive	fotota	fotoita
comitative	fotonke	fotoidenke
prolative	fotodme	fotoidme
approximative I	fotonno	fotoidenno
approximative II	fotonnoks	fotoidennoks
egressive	fotonnopäi	fotoidennopäi
terminative I	fothosai fotohosai	fotoihesai
terminative II	fotolesai	fotoilesai
terminative III	fotossai	—
additive I	fothopäi fotohopäi	fotoihepäi
additive II	fotolepäi	fotoilepäi

References

• Zajceva, N. G., Mullonen, M. I. (2007) “фотография”, in Uz’ venä-vepsläine vajehnik / Novyj russko-vepsskij slovarʹ [New Russian–Veps Dictionary]‎^[10], Petrozavodsk: Periodika