Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Closed in Spanish — Cerrado, Cerrada & Related Uses
Cerrado · adjective · seh-RRAH-doh / seh-RRAH-dah
Closed in Spanish is cerrado (masculine) or cerrada (feminine), the past participle of the verb cerrar (to close). You'll encounter it on shop signs, road notices, and in everyday speech. Spanish requires gender agreement, so a closed door is 'una puerta cerrada' while a closed market is 'un mercado cerrado.' For officially shuttered businesses or venues, clausurado is used instead.
Cerrado is pronounced seh-RRAH-doh with the stress on the second syllable. The double 'rr' carries a strong rolled trill. Cerrada follows the same pattern: seh-RRAH-dah.
La tienda está cerrada los domingos.
The store is closed on Sundays.
Closed in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for closed, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| cerrado | closed | seh-RRAH-doh / seh-RRAH-dah | Default, widely understood |
| cerrada | closed | feminine form | |
| clausurado | closed | officially shut down (business, event) |
How Native Speakers Use Cerrado
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Shop sign
Lo siento, estamos cerrados. Volvemos a las nueve.
Sorry, we're closed. We'll be back at nine.
A sign on a storefront or a clerk speaking to a customer.
Describing a road
La carretera está cerrada por obras.
The highway is closed for construction.
Traffic or travel information.
Figurative use
Es una persona muy cerrada; nunca comparte lo que siente.
He's a very closed-off person; he never shares what he feels.
Describing someone's personality.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Cerrado
Forgetting gender agreement
Incorrect: La ventana está cerrado.
Correct: La ventana está cerrada.
Ventana is feminine, so the adjective must match: cerrada, not cerrado.
Using cerrado for officially shut down
Incorrect: El restaurante fue cerrado por el gobierno.
Correct: El restaurante fue clausurado por el gobierno.
When an authority officially shuts a place down, clausurado is the precise term. Cerrado simply means not open at the moment.
Lock in Closed Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
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See Cerrado used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using cerrado in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear La tienda está cerrada los domingos. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
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Common Questions About Closed in Spanish
- What's the difference between cerrado and clausurado?
- Cerrado means not currently open — it's temporary or routine (closed for the night, closed on Mondays). Clausurado means a place has been officially shut down, often by authorities, and implies it may not reopen.
- How do I say 'the door is closed' in Spanish?
- Say 'la puerta está cerrada.' Use 'está' (not 'es') because you're describing a current state, and 'cerrada' because puerta is feminine.
- Can cerrado describe a person?
- Calling someone cerrado or cerrada conveys that the person is closed-minded or emotionally reserved. It is an informal but widely understood expression across Spanish-speaking countries.