cerrar
“cerrar” means “to close” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
to close, to shut
Also: to zip up
📝 In Action
Por favor, cierra la puerta al salir.
A1Please, close the door when you leave.
Siempre cierro la ventana antes de que empiece a llover.
A2I always shut the window before it starts to rain.
to close down, to finish, to close/shut
Also: to conclude
📝 In Action
La tienda de la esquina tuvo que cerrar por la crisis económica.
B1The corner store had to close down due to the economic crisis.
Necesitamos cerrar este trato antes de que termine el mes.
B2We need to finish (close) this deal before the end of the month.
to close oneself off, to become stubborn
Also: to close in
📝 In Action
Después de la discusión, ella se cerró y no quiso hablar con nadie.
B2After the argument, she closed herself off and didn't want to talk to anyone.
No te cierres a nuevas ideas, es importante escuchar a los demás.
C1Don't close yourself off to new ideas; it’s important to listen to others.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: cerrar
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses the stem change of 'cerrar' in the present tense?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Late Latin verb *serrare*, meaning 'to bolt' or 'to close with a bolt,' which itself derived from *sera* (a bolt/bar). It is a very old word used for securing things.
First recorded: 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'cerrar' change its spelling sometimes?
'Cerrar' is a 'boot verb,' meaning the vowel in the stem ('e') changes to 'ie' when the stress falls on it. This happens in most forms of the present tense (like 'cierro' and 'cierras'), but not in the 'nosotros' and 'vosotros' forms, which is common in Spanish verbs.
How do I say 'The store is closed'?
You can use two main options: 'La tienda está cerrada' (using the adjective 'cerrada') or 'La tienda cierra' (using the simple present tense of the verb, implying it closes at a certain time).