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A friendly child taking a step forward to reach for a bright red ball on the grass.

acercarme

ah-sehr-KAR-meh

verbA2reflexive ar
to get closer?moving yourself toward a physical object or person
Also:to approach?coming near someone to talk or interact,to take an interest in?metaphorically getting closer to a subject or hobby

Quick Reference

gerundacercándome
past Participleacercado
infinitiveacercarse

📝 In Action

Necesito acercarme un poco más para leer el cartel.

A2

I need to get a little closer to read the sign.

Voy a acercarme a la recepción para preguntar.

A2

I'm going to approach the front desk to ask.

Quiero acercarme a la cultura española a través de la música.

B1

I want to get closer to Spanish culture through music.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • aproximarme (to approach myself)
  • arrimarme (to move myself closer (often to a wall or surface))

Antonyms

  • alejarme (to move myself away)
  • distanciarme (to distance myself)

Common Collocations

  • acercarme a ver – to go over to see
  • acercarme al fuego – to get close to the fire
  • acercarme a saludar – to go over to say hi

Idioms & Expressions

  • ni acercarme – not even going near something (often out of fear or dislike)

💡 Grammar Points

The 'me' at the end

This word is a combination of 'acercar' (to bring near) and 'me' (myself). Using them together means you are the one doing the moving!

Always use 'a'

When you get closer to something in Spanish, you must use the bridge word 'a'. For example: 'acercarme a la casa' (get closer to the house).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Missing the 'a'

Mistake: "Quiero acercarme el gato."

Correction: Quiero acercarme AL gato. (Remember to use 'a' before the thing you are approaching.)

Spelling changes

Mistake: "Yo me acercé."

Correction: Yo me acerqué. The 'c' changes to 'qu' in some past and special forms to keep the 'K' sound.

⭐ Usage Tips

Natural flow

You'll often see this word attached to other verbs like 'voy a acercarme' (I'm going to get closer) or 'puedo acercarme' (I can get closer).

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesse acercaran
yome acercara
túte acercaras
vosotrosos acercarais
nosotrosnos acercáramos
él/ella/ustedse acercara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesse acerquen
yome acerque
túte acerques
vosotrosos acerquéis
nosotrosnos acerquemos
él/ella/ustedse acerque

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesse acercaron
yome acerqué
túte acercaste
vosotrosos acercasteis
nosotrosnos acercamos
él/ella/ustedse acercó

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesse acercaban
yome acercaba
túte acercabas
vosotrosos acercabais
nosotrosnos acercábamos
él/ella/ustedse acercaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesse acercan
yome acerco
túte acercas
vosotrosos acercáis
nosotrosnos acercamos
él/ella/ustedse acerca
View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: acercarme

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly says 'I want to get closer to the dog'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

cerca(near) - adverb
cercano(close/nearby) - adjective
acercamiento(approach) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I just say 'acercar'?

If you say 'acercar' without the 'me', you are moving an object closer to something else. Use 'acercarme' when you are the one moving your body.

Does 'acercarme' only work for physical distance?

No! You can use it to talk about getting closer to a goal, a person (emotionally), or a subject you are studying.