cierra la puerta
/θjera la pweɾta/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'close the door' is translated into Spanish as cierra la puerta.
This phrase is a request or command to move a door into a shut position. The verb used, cerrar, is specifically for closing physical objects like doors, windows or eyes. It should not be confused with clausurar, which is used for the formal closure of something like a business or a street.
Which one should you use?
While cerrar is used for physical objects, the term clausurar is reserved for formal closures such as a street or a business. In terms of the phrase itself, you can use the infinitive cerrar la puerta to express the concept 'to close the door'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the word puerta may be replaced by portón in certain contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
Use cierre la puerta instead of cierra la puerta when speaking to someone formally or showing respect. If you are giving a command to a group of people, use cierren la puerta. The infinitive form is cerrar la puerta.
How do you pronounce it?
/θjera la pweɾta/
Did you know?
- The word puerta is a distant linguistic relative of the English word 'port', as both stem from the Proto-Indo-European root for a place one passes through.
- In Spanish, you cannot use cerrar to tell someone to 'shut' a light. You must use the verb apagar, which literally means 'to extinguish'.
- Beyond physical doors, cerrar is the standard verb used in business to mean 'closing' or finalizing a deal.
Examples in context
- Cierra la puerta al salir.Close the door when you leave.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase cierra la puerta when describing an action happening during an exit.Tatoeba #532548 by Shishir, translation #1897 by CK
- Cierra la puerta del baño.Close the door to the bathroom.This sentence is useful for using cierra la puerta to specify a particular room.Tatoeba #7410993 by arh, translation #11316738 by Luornu
- Se para y cierra la puerta.You stand up and close the door.This sentence is useful for showing the phrase cierra la puerta as part of a sequence of actions.Tatoeba #4353436 by umano, translation #4351277 by thegui
- Papá, cierra la puerta. ¡Hace frío afuera!Dad, close the door. It's cold outside!
- 16 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are in the living room and it is getting cold.
- ElenaHace mucho frío aquí, Alejandro.It is very cold in here, Alejandro.
- AlejandroTienes razón. Cierra la puerta, por favor.You are right. Close the door, please.
- ElenaLo hago ahora mismo.I will do it right now.
- AlejandroGracias, Elena.Thank you, Elena.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries la, puerta, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
