Inklingo

How to Say "close" in Spanish

English → Spanish

cerca

/SER-ka//ˈseɾ.ka/

adverbA1general
Use 'cerca' when describing that something is at a short physical distance, meaning 'nearby' or 'not far'.
A small, red, pitched-roof house standing immediately next to the base of a tall, white lighthouse.

Examples

El aeropuerto está muy cerca del hotel.

The airport is very close to the hotel.

El supermercado está cerca.

The supermarket is nearby.

Mi oficina está cerca de mi casa.

My office is near my house.

No te preocupes, vivimos muy cerca.

Don't worry, we live very close.

Cerca vs. Cerca de

Use 'cerca' by itself to mean 'nearby'. Use 'cerca de' when you're saying something is near another specific thing. Example: 'El café está cerca' (The café is nearby) vs. 'El café está cerca de la oficina' (The café is near the office).

Adverb vs. Adjective

Mistake: “Mi casa está cercana.”

Correction: Mi casa está cerca. 'Cerca' describes *where* the house is (an adverb), not *what kind* of house it is. Use the adjective 'cercano/a' to describe a noun directly, like 'un pueblo cercano' (a nearby town).

próxima

adjectiveA1general
Use 'próxima' to refer to the next item in a series or sequence, such as time (next week) or events.

Examples

La próxima parada es en la Plaza Mayor.

The next stop is at the Plaza Mayor.

cercano

sehr-KAH-noh/seɾˈkano/

adjectiveB2general
Use 'cercano' to describe a close personal relationship, intimacy, or a feeling of warmth and affection.
Two smiling figures, one taller and one shorter, sharing a warm, affectionate hug.

Examples

Tengo un círculo de amigos muy cercanos.

I have a circle of very close friends.

Ella es una persona muy cercana y siempre escucha a sus empleados.

She is a very warm/approachable person and always listens to her employees.

Solo compartí mi secreto con mis amigos más cercanos.

I only shared my secret with my closest friends.

Describing Personality

When 'cercano' describes a person's character, it means they are approachable, friendly, and easy to talk to, like saying they are 'close to people'.

Adverb vs. Adjective for Proximity

Learners often confuse 'cerca' (adverb) with 'cercano/a' (adjective) when talking about physical distance. Remember that 'cerca' describes *where* something is (nearby), while 'cercano/a' describes a *quality* of a noun (a close friend, a close house).

Related Translations

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