puerta

/PWER-tah/

door

A physical doorway representing the common meaning of 'puerta' as a door to a house or room.

puerta(Noun)

fA1

door?of a house, room, car, or building

Also:gate?of a garden, city, or large entrance

📝 In Action

Cierra la puerta, por favor.

Close the door, please.

Mi coche tiene cinco puertas.

My car has five doors.

Alguien está llamando a la puerta.

Someone is knocking on the door.

La puerta del jardín está pintada de verde.

The garden gate is painted green.

Word Connections

Synonyms

entrada (entrance)
portón (large gate/door)

Common Collocations

abrir/cerrar la puerta – to open/close the door
llamar a la puerta – to knock on the door
puerta principal – main door / front door
puerta trasera – back door

Idioms & Expressions

a puerta cerrada – in private, behind closed doors
dar con la puerta en las narices – to slam the door in someone's face

💡 Grammar Points

Always Feminine

Like most Spanish nouns ending in '-a', 'puerta' is a feminine word. This means you always use 'la' (the) or 'una' (a) with it. For example, 'la puerta roja' (the red door).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using the wrong 'the'

Mistake: "El puerta está abierto."

Correction: La puerta está abierta. Remember that 'puerta' is feminine, so it needs the feminine word 'la' for 'the'.

⭐ Usage Tips

Knocking on the Door

In Spanish, you don't 'knock on' the door, you 'call at' it. The phrase is 'llamar a la puerta'. It's a common and natural way to say someone is knocking.

A glowing, ornate archway opening up from a shadowy area towards a vibrant, sunlit meadow filled with flowers.

This image visualizes 'puerta' used figuratively as a gateway to new opportunities and possibilities.

puerta(Noun)

fB1

gateway?access to something new

Also:opportunity?a chance to do something,way in?a method of access

📝 In Action

Aprender inglés es una puerta a nuevas oportunidades.

Learning English is a gateway to new opportunities.

Este nuevo trabajo me ha abierto muchas puertas.

This new job has opened many doors for me.

No debemos cerrar la puerta al diálogo.

We must not close the door to dialogue.

Word Connections

Synonyms

oportunidad (opportunity)
acceso (access)

Common Collocations

abrir puertas – to open doors (create opportunities)
cerrar puertas – to close doors (remove opportunities)

Idioms & Expressions

dejar la puerta abierta – to leave the possibility open, not make a final decision

⭐ Usage Tips

Thinking Figuratively

This meaning extends the idea of a physical door. Just as a real door lets you enter a new space, this 'puerta' lets you enter a new situation, like a new career or area of knowledge.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: puerta

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'puerta' in a figurative way, talking about an opportunity?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

portero/a(doorman, janitor, goalkeeper) - noun

portal(doorway, entrance hall, web portal) - noun

portón(large door, gate) - noun

portazo(a slam of a door) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'puerta' and 'portón'?

Think of it like 'door' vs. 'gate'. A 'puerta' is a standard door for a room, house, or car. A 'portón' is a much larger, heavier door or gate, like one you'd find at the entrance to a large estate or a garage.

How do I say 'to lock the door'?

You say 'cerrar la puerta con llave', which literally means 'to close the door with key'. For example, 'No olvides cerrar la puerta con llave' (Don't forget to lock the door).