acercó
/ah-ser-KOH/
approached
The boy is moving closer to the apple, illustrating the definition 'approached' or 'moved closer'.
acercó(verb)
approached
?He/She/It/You (formal) moved closer
drew near
?past action
📝 In Action
Ella se acercó al niño para darle un abrazo.
A2She approached the child to give him a hug.
Usted se acercó demasiado al borde del acantilado.
B1You (formal) got too close to the edge of the cliff.
El perro se acercó a la mesa esperando comida.
A2The dog approached the table hoping for food.
💡 Grammar Points
Reflexive Action
When used with 'se' (se acercó), the subject (he/she) is performing the action to himself/herself—they are moving their own body closer.
Preterite Tense
The '-ó' ending tells you the action was a single, completed event in the past, like turning off a switch: 'He approached the door and knocked.'
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting 'se'
Mistake: "Él acercó a la mesa."
Correction: Él se acercó a la mesa. (You need the 'se' when the person is moving themselves.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Using 'a'
Always use the preposition 'a' (to/toward) right after the verb to indicate the destination: 'Se acercó a la luz.'
The hand is moving the cube nearer to the ball, illustrating the definition 'brought closer'.
acercó(verb)
brought closer
?He/She/It/You (formal) moved an object nearer
moved nearer
?applied to an object
📝 In Action
El camarero acercó la carta a la señora.
B1The waiter brought the menu closer to the lady.
Ella acercó su rostro al micrófono para hablar.
B2She brought her face closer to the microphone to speak.
La crisis acercó a los dos países en busca de una solución.
C1The crisis brought the two countries closer together in search of a solution.
💡 Grammar Points
Transitive Action
When used without 'se' (acercó), the action moves something else. The subject (e.g., 'El camarero') moves the direct object (e.g., 'la carta').
Physical or Abstract
This meaning can be used for physical objects ('acercó la silla') or abstract ideas ('acercó posturas' - brought positions closer/compromised).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: acercó
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'acercó' in its reflexive form (meaning 'approached')?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the verb sometimes have 'se' and sometimes not?
When it has 'se' (acercarse), the person is moving themselves closer (e.g., 'He approached'). When it doesn't have 'se' (acercar), the person is moving an object closer (e.g., 'He brought the cup closer').
Does 'acercó' require a change in spelling (like c to qu)?
No, not in this form. The spelling change (c to qu) only happens in the 'yo' form of the preterite ('yo me acerqué') and in the subjunctive forms, to keep the hard 'k' sound.