fermer
/fɛʁ.me/
The French verb for 'close' (to move a door) is fermer.
Meaning: move (a door) (verb)
Which one should you use?
While fermer means to close a physical object like a door, clore is a more formal verb used for closing a debate or a period of time. Clôturer has a more formal connotation and is often used to refer to closing or ending something on a broader scale.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The past participle fermé is used as an adjective to mean 'closed'. The future tense of 'fermer' is fermerai for the first-person singular.
How do you pronounce it?
/fɛʁ.me/. It has 2 syllables.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use fermer to mean 'to be close to' (distance), but for distance, you must use être proche de or être près de.
Did you know?
- A French person might say fermer la boutique to mean they are retiring or quitting a business venture entirely, not just locking the door for the night.
- In French, the phrase fermer les yeux sur quelque chose means to intentionally ignore a mistake or turn a blind eye.
- The expression fermer sa gueule is a very vulgar way to tell someone to 'shut up', using a word for the mouth of an animal.
Examples in context
- Va fermer le coffre.Go close the boot.This sentence shows how to use fermer with a container.Tatoeba #8900329 by Julien_PDC, translation #11919776 by zogwarg
- Tu dois fermer les yeux.You have to close your eyes.This sentence demonstrates using fermer with body parts.Tatoeba #8313769 by Julien_PDC, translation #13700269 by Pars
- Tu peux fermer la porte.You may close the door.This sentence shows how to use fermer with a door.Tatoeba #13458184 by sacredceltic, translation #4666704 by CK
- Il faut fermer la porte avant de partir.You need to close the door before leaving.
- J'ai fermé mon livre après avoir fini de lire.I closed my book after finishing reading.
- Le président a clôturé la séance après deux heures de débat.The president closed the session after two hours of debate.
- L'entreprise va cesser ses activités dans cinq jours.The company is going to close its operations in five days.
- 110 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Manon are in a room with an open window and a door.
- NathanPeux-tu fermer la fenêtre, s'il te plaît ?Can you close the window, please?
- ManonOui, je vais la fermer tout de suite.Yes, I will close it right away.
- NathanEt n'oublie pas de fermer la porte aussi.And don't forget to close the door too.
- ManonD'accord, je ferme tout.Okay, I'm closing everything.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “close” translations and entries fermer, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
