Inklingo

How to Say "shut down" in Spanish

The Spanish word forshut downis apagarA1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.

English → SpanishA1
verbA1
computers, systems
A close-up of a cartoon hand pressing a white light switch down into the 'off' position, symbolizing turning a device off.

Examples

Por favor, apaga la luz antes de salir.

Please turn off the light before leaving.

Tienes que apagar el móvil en el cine.

You have to turn off your cell phone in the movie theater.

Apagué la computadora y me fui a casa.

I turned off the computer and went home.

The G-to-GU Change

To keep the hard 'g' sound (like in 'go'), 'apagar' changes its 'g' to 'gu' whenever the ending starts with 'e'. This happens only in the 'yo' preterite form (apagué) and throughout the present subjunctive (apague, apagues, etc.).

Using 'apagar' for people

Mistake:Apagué a mi hermano (I turned off my brother).

Correction: Use 'callar' (to silence) or 'hacer silencio' (to make quiet) when referring to stopping noise from a person. 'Apagar' is only for objects or flames.

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