cerrar el negocio
/θeraɾ el neɡoθjo/from spelling rules
To close business in Spanish is cerrar el negocio.
The phrase cerrar el negocio is used when you want to say that a company or a shop is permanently stopping its operations.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb cerrar (to close) and the noun phrase el negocio (the business).
Which one should you use?
While cerrar el negocio is used for a small shop or a local business, if you are referring to a larger corporation, it is more common to use cerrar la empresa (to close the company).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, if you are specifically referring to the act of finalizing or closing a business deal rather than stopping operations, the phrase Concretar un Negocio is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb cerrar is a stem-changing verb in many tenses, which means the e changes to ie in certain conjugations, such as in él cierra el negocio.
How do you pronounce it?
/θeraɾ el neɡoθjo/
Did you know?
- The word negocio is actually a linguistic irony. It comes from the Latin word negōtium, which is a combination of negō ('I deny') and ōtium ('leisure'). Historically, it meant the absence of leisure or the refusal of free time.
- In some contexts, negocio can refer to a 'plot' or 'affair', implying a secret or illicit arrangement rather than a legal company.
- The word negocio is used flexibly to mean both the physical storefront and the abstract concept of commerce.
Examples in context
- El objetivo de nuestra reunión es cerrar el negocio lo antes posible.The goal of our meeting is to close the business as soon as possible.
- Luego de varias negociaciones, finalmente pudimos concluir un acuerdo satisfactorio.After several negotiations, we were finally able to close a satisfactory agreement.
- ¿Ya terminaste ese negocio con Juan?Did you already close that business deal with Juan?
- Después de una buena conversación, logramos cerrar el trato para trabajar juntos.After a good conversation, we closed the deal to work together.
- Tuvieron que cerrar el negocio por la crisis.They had to close the business due to the crisis.
- No quiero cerrar el negocio todavía.I do not want to close the business yet.
- ¿Vas a cerrar el negocio definitivamente?Are you going to close the business permanently?
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are talking about Alejandro's family shop.
- Elena¿Es verdad que vas a cerrar el negocio?Is it true that you are going to close the business?
- AlejandroSí, Elena, mi padre decidió cerrar el negocio.Yes, Elena, my father decided to close the business.
- ElenaLo siento mucho, Alejandro.I am very sorry, Alejandro.
- AlejandroGracias, es una situación difícil.Thank you, it is a difficult situation.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cerrar, el, negocio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
