Inklingo

Bajar la persiana

/bah-HAR la per-see-AH-nah/

To close down a business for good; to go out of business.

Level:B2Register:NeutralCommon:★★★★☆

💡 Understanding the Idiom

Literal Translation:
"To lower the shutter"
What It Really Means:
To close down a business for good; to go out of business.
English Equivalents:
To shut up shopTo go out of businessTo close its doorsTo pull the plug

🎨 Literal vs. Figurative

💭 Literal
A literal depiction of 'bajar la persiana', showing a person physically pulling down a metal roll-up shutter on a storefront.

Literally, 'bajar la persiana' means 'to lower the shutter'.

✨ Figurative
The figurative meaning of 'bajar la persiana', showing a closed shop with a 'For Sale' sign on it.

In practice, it means a business has closed down permanently.

Key Words in This Idiom:

bajarpersiana

📝 In Action

Después de la crisis, muchas tiendas del barrio tuvieron que bajar la persiana.

B2

After the crisis, many shops in the neighborhood had to close down for good.

La panadería de la esquina bajó la persiana el mes pasado. ¡Qué pena!

B2

The corner bakery shut up shop last month. What a shame!

Si las ventas no mejoran, me temo que tendremos que bajar la persiana.

C1

If sales don't improve, I'm afraid we'll have to go out of business.

📜 Origin Story

This phrase comes from a very real, everyday action. In Spain and many Latin American countries, shopkeepers physically lower a metal or wooden roll-down shutter (una persiana) to close their shop. The act of lowering it for the very last time, never to open again, became a powerful and visual symbol for a business closing permanently. The finality of that sound and action is what gives the idiom its strong meaning.

⭐ Usage Tips

Finality is Key

This idiom implies a permanent ending, not just closing for the day. For daily closing, you would use the verb 'cerrar'. 'Bajar la persiana' means it's over for good.

Beyond Business

While its main use is for businesses, you can use it more personally to mean 'giving up' or 'calling it a day' on a project or even an argument. For example: 'Estoy agotado, por hoy bajo la persiana.' (I'm exhausted, I'm calling it a day.)

❌ Common Pitfalls

Not for Daily Closing

Mistake: "Using 'bajar la persiana' to say a shop is closed for the evening, like: 'La tienda bajó la persiana a las 8.'"

Correction: For daily closing, just use 'cerrar'. For example: 'La tienda cerró a las 8' (The shop closed at 8). Use 'bajar la persiana' only when you mean it has shut down forever.

🌎 Where It's Used

🇪🇸

Spain

Extremely common and widely understood in business and everyday contexts.

🌎

Latin America

Also common and understood in many countries, especially where the image of the roll-down shutter is familiar, like in Argentina and Uruguay.

🔗 Related Idioms

↔️ Similar Meanings

echar el cierre

To close down for good (literally 'to throw the lock')

irse a pique

To go under, to sink (used for businesses, plans)

⇆ Opposite Meanings

levantar la persiana

To start up a business, or to open for the day.

abrir un negocio

To open a business

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: Bajar la persiana

Question 1 of 1

If you read that a local restaurant 'ha bajado la persiana', what does it mean?

🏷️ Tags

Work & BusinessCommonly UsedHouse & Home

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I say 'subir la persiana' for opening a business?

Yes, absolutely! 'Subir la persiana' (to raise the shutter) or 'levantar la persiana' (to lift the shutter) is the direct opposite. It can mean opening the shop for the day or, more figuratively, starting a new business from scratch.