cercana
“cercana” means “close” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
close, near
Also: adjacent
📝 In Action
La escuela está muy cercana a mi casa.
A1The school is very close to my house.
Busco una panadería cercana, ¿conoces alguna?
A2I'm looking for a nearby bakery, do you know one?
imminent, upcoming
Also: approaching
📝 In Action
La fecha de su jubilación es muy cercana.
B1The date of her retirement is very close/imminent.
Tenemos una reunión cercana para discutir el presupuesto.
B2We have an upcoming meeting to discuss the budget.
close, intimate
Also: familiar
📝 In Action
Mi hermana y yo tenemos una relación muy cercana.
B2My sister and I have a very close relationship.
Ella es una colaboradora cercana del director general.
C1She is a close collaborator of the CEO.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: cercana
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'cercana' to describe a relationship, not a physical location?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word *circanus*, which meant 'circular' or 'on the circle.' This meaning evolved over time to mean 'nearby' or 'surrounding,' eventually giving us the idea of being close to something.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
💡 Master Spanish
Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!
Frequently Asked Questions
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre 'cerca' y 'cercana'?
'Cerca' is an adverb (like 'quickly' or 'slowly') and never changes its form; it means 'nearby' or 'close by.' 'Cercana' is an adjective (like 'big' or 'small') and must change its ending to match the feminine noun it describes, meaning 'close' or 'near'.