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puerta

PWER-tah'pweɾ.ta

“puerta” means “door” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

door

Also: gate
NounfA1
A bright red wooden front door of a cozy cottage, slightly ajar, letting warm yellow light stream out.

📝 In Action

Cierra la puerta, por favor.

A1

Close the door, please.

Mi coche tiene cinco puertas.

A1

My car has five doors.

Alguien está llamando a la puerta.

A2

Someone is knocking on the door.

La puerta del jardín está pintada de verde.

A2

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

gateway

Also: opportunity, way in
NounfB1
A glowing, ornate archway opening up from a shadowy area towards a vibrant, sunlit meadow filled with flowers.

📝 In Action

Aprender inglés es una puerta a nuevas oportunidades.

B1

Learning English is a gateway to new opportunities.

Este nuevo trabajo me ha abierto muchas puertas.

B2

This new job has opened many doors for me.

No debemos cerrar la puerta al diálogo.

C1

We must not close the door to dialogue.

Word Connections

Synonyms

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

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "puerta" in Spanish:

door→gate→gateway→opportunity→way in→

🗣️ Practice in a Tongue Twister

✏️ 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
🎵 Rhymes▼
huertamuertatuerta
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin word 'porta', which meant 'gate' or 'entrance to a city'. It's related to the idea of passing through or carrying something, which is also the root of English words like 'portal', 'transport', and 'portable'.

First recorded: Around the 10th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: portaItalian: portaFrench: porteEnglish: portal

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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).