Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| extinguir | /eɡstinˈɡiɾ/ |
| apagar | /apaˈɡaɾ/ |
In Spanish, these words are used to describe stopping something from burning, such as a fire or stopping something from shining, such as a light.
Which one should you use?
apagar is the much more common, everyday word used for extinguishing fires, turning off lights or turning off electronic devices. For example, to say 'turn off the lights', you should use apagar las luces rather than extinguir. In contrast, extinguir is more formal and is often used in technical, legal or literary contexts, such as extinguishing a debt or a species.
How does it change in a sentence?
The past participle of extinguir is extinguido, which is used to form compound tenses. The past participle of apagar is apagado, which is used for both extinguished fires and turned-off lights or machines.
How do you pronounce it?
/eɡstinˈɡiɾ/
Did you know?
- While apagar is used for electronics, the opposite action 'to turn on' uses encender, which means 'to ignite' or 'to light a fire'. Spanish treats turning on a computer as if you are lighting a match.
- The common word apagar is derived from the Latin pācāre, meaning 'to bring peace' or 'to pacify'. Using it to extinguish a fire literally means to bring the fire to a state of peace.
- In Spanish, the word apagado is used not only for a light that is off but also to describe a person who is lacking energy, spirit or enthusiasm.
Examples in context
- El bombero no podía apagar las llamas.The fireman could not extinguish the flames.This sentence uses apagar to describe a fireman's attempt to extinguish flames.Tatoeba #968747 by Shishir, translation #268160 by CK
- Trabajaron juntos para extinguir el fuego.Together they worked to extinguish the fire.This sentence uses extinguir to describe working together to extinguish a fire.Tatoeba #10095141 by manufrutos, translation #10089769 by sundown
- Los enemigos de la verdad puede que hayan silenciado la voz de María, pero no pueden apagar la llama que ella encendió en nuestros corazones.The enemies of truth may have silenced Maria's voice, but they cannot extinguish the fire she lit in our hearts.This sentence uses apagar to describe the metaphorical extinguishing of a flame in people's hearts.Tatoeba #13553930 by carlosalberto, translation #13553720 by Ooneykcall
- Por favor, apague las velas antes de salirPlease extinguish the candles before leaving
- Los bomberos lograron sofocar el incendio rápidamenteThe firefighters managed to extinguish the fire quickly
- Apaga la luz, por favorTurn off the light, please
- Apagué el fuego con una mangueraI extinguished the fire with a hose
- El bombero logró apagar el incendio en poco tiempo.The firefighter managed to extinguish the fire quickly.
- Por favor, apaga las velas antes de irte.Please extinguish the candles before you leave.
- Los estudiantes sofocaron el fuego con mantas.The students smothered the fire with blankets.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are discussing a small forest fire.
- JavierEs necesario extinguir el incendio rápidamente.It is necessary to extinguish the fire quickly.
- LucíaSí, el equipo de rescate ya llegó.Yes, the rescue team has already arrived.
- JavierEspero que puedan extinguir las llamas pronto.I hope they can extinguish the flames soon.
- LucíaEllos saben cómo extinguir el fuego de forma segura.They know how to extinguish the fire safely.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “extinguish” translations and entries extinguir, apagar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries apagar, extinguir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
