French Phrase
Prends des photos du problème.
Meaning
Literally, ‘Take some pictures of the problem.’ It is a direct request to capture visual evidence of an issue, often used in technical, repair or investigative contexts.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need someone to document a malfunction, damage, or any situation that requires visual proof. It works in informal settings (friends, colleagues) and can be softened with *s’il te plaît* for politeness.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Prendsdesphotosduproblème
Imperative (tu)
‘Prends’ is the second‑person singular informal imperative of the verb *prendre*; for ‘vous’ you would say *Prenez*.
Partitive article *des*
*Des* is the plural partitive article meaning ‘some’; it is used before a countable noun in the plural.
Contraction *du*
*Du* = *de le*; it introduces a complement of the noun ‘photos’, indicating what the photos are of.
Gender & number agreement
*Photos* is feminine plural, so the article and adjective (if any) must agree in gender and number.
🗨In Conversation
Le moteur fait un bruit bizarre, je ne sais pas d'où ça vient.
The engine is making a strange noise, I don’t know where it’s coming from.
Prends des photos du problème et envoie‑les au technicien.
Take pictures of the problem and send them to the technician.
✕Common Mistakes
Prenez des photos du problème.
Use *Prenez* for the formal/plural ‘you’; *prends* is only for informal singular.
Prends des photos de le problème.
The correct contraction is *du*; *de le* is never used in modern French.
Prends des photo du problème.
The noun *photo* is plural here, so the article must be *des* and the noun must end with *s*.
Prends des photos du problème ?
Adding a question mark changes the tone; if you intend a request, keep it declarative or add *s’il te plaît*.
↔Alternatives
Fais des photos du problème.
Take pictures of the problem.
Capture le problème en photo.
Capture the problem in a photo.
Photographie le problème.
Photograph the problem.
Cultural Tip
In French, *prendre des photos* is the most common way to talk about taking pictures. *Faire des photos* is also acceptable, especially in casual speech, but *prendre* sounds slightly more formal. Remember to match the imperative to the level of familiarity: *prends* for friends or peers, *prenez* for strangers, seniors, or professional contexts.