cerca
/ˈθeɾka/
The English word 'nearby' is translated into Spanish as cerca.
The most common and straightforward translation of 'nearby' in Spanish is cerca. It is the direct antonym of lejos, which means 'far' or 'far away'.
Meaning: close to (adv)
Which one should you use?
The adverb cerca is used to mean 'nearby' or 'close', whereas the adjective cercano, próximo or concercano is used to describe a noun as being 'nearby' or 'close'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When cerca is followed by a specific object or location, it must be paired with the preposition de.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈθeɾka/
Did you know?
- The word cerca can also be a noun meaning 'a fence', derived from the idea of something that stays close to or surrounds a space.
- Because cerca comes from the Latin 'circus', it is a distant cousin to the English word 'circle'.
- The phrase está muy cerca can be used figuratively to say a goal or a dream is 'within reach' or almost achieved. It describes a distance in time or effort rather than physical space.
Examples in context
- Están cerca de aquí.They're nearby.Tatoeba #10030097 by Shishir, translation #10726390 by DJ_Saidez
- Hubo un incendio cerca.A fire broke out nearby.Tatoeba #1604726 by marcelostockle, translation #18743 by CK
- ¿Hay una farmacia cerca?Is there a pharmacy nearby?Tatoeba #1542238 by marcelostockle, translation #1078081 by keira_n
- ¿Hay algún supermercado cerca?Is there a supermarket nearby?
- ¿Hay algún hotel en las inmediaciones?Is there a hotel nearby?
- Vamos a la playa cerquita, ¿qué te parece?Let's go to the beach nearby, what do you think?
- ¿Sabes si hay algún buen restaurante por aquí?Do you know if there's any good restaurant around here?
- El mercado está a la vuelta de la esquina.The market is just around the corner.
- Hay una panadería al lado del parque.There's a bakery next to the park.
- 39 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and María are looking for a cafe in a new city.
- Javier¿Hay algún café cerca, María?Is there a cafe nearby, María?
- MaríaSí, hay uno muy cerca de aquí.Yes, there is one very close to here.
- JavierPerfecto, vamos a buscarlo.Perfect, let's go look for it.
- MaríaEstá justo a la vuelta.It is just around the corner.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nearby” translations and entries cerca, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cerca, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
