Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Close in Spanish: Cerrar
Cerrar · verb · seh-RRAR
The English word 'close' has two main translations in Spanish: 'cerrar' as a verb meaning to shut or close something, and 'cerca/cercano' as an adjective or adverb meaning nearby in distance or relationship. The verb 'cerrar' is stem-changing (e→ie) in the present tense.
seh-RRAR
No olvides cerrar la puerta con llave antes de salir.
Don't forget to close the door with a key before leaving.
Close in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for close, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| cerrar | close | seh-RRAR | Default, widely understood |
| cerca | close | proximity adjective/adverb | |
| cercano | close | nearby (adjective) |
How Native Speakers Use Cerrar
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Action (Verb)
La tienda cierra a las ocho de la noche entre semana.
The store closes at eight at night on weekdays.
Shows the stem-change in third-person present tense.
Proximity
Hay una farmacia cerca de aquí, a solo dos cuadras.
There's a pharmacy close to here, just two blocks away.
Uses 'cerca' as an adverb of proximity.
Relationship
Somos muy cercanos; nos contamos todo sin secretos.
We are very close; we tell each other everything without secrets.
Describes emotional closeness between people.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Cerrar
Stem-Change Error
Incorrect: Yo cerro la ventana.
Correct: Yo cierro la ventana.
'Cerrar' undergoes an e→ie stem change in stressed syllables of the present tense; 'cierro' is the correct first-person form.
Close vs. Near Confusion
Incorrect: Voy a cerca la puerta.
Correct: Voy a cerrar la puerta.
'Cerca' means 'near' and cannot function as a verb; the action of closing requires the verb 'cerrar,' which is an entirely different word.
Lock in Close Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Cerrar used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using cerrar in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear No olvides cerrar la puerta con llave antes de salir. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.
Common Questions About Close in Spanish
- Is 'cerrar' irregular?
- 'Cerrar' is a stem-changing verb where the 'e' becomes 'ie' in forms where the stem syllable is stressed (cierro, cierras, cierra, cierran). In the nosotros and vosotros forms, the stress falls elsewhere, so the stem stays regular (cerramos, cerráis).
- How do I distinguish 'close' (shut) from 'close' (near) in Spanish?
- Spanish avoids the English homograph problem entirely by using two unrelated words: 'cerrar' for the action of shutting, and 'cerca' or 'cercano' for proximity. Learners can feel confident there is no confusion between the two in Spanish.
- What is the opposite of 'cerrar'?
- The antonym is 'abrir' (to open), one of the first verb pairs taught in Spanish. For proximity, the opposite of 'cerca' is 'lejos' (far), creating another fundamental pair for spatial descriptions.