cerrar
Lemma Details
Translation: to close; to shut; to lock; to seal; to end; to conclude
Part of Speech: verb
Etymology: Cerrar comes from Latin 'serare' meaning 'to bolt, bar, or lock', which derives from 'sera' (bolt or bar for closing doors). The Latin word evolved in Vulgar Latin to 'serrare' and then to Spanish 'cerrar'. It shares roots with English words like 'secure' and 'serum' (originally something kept in a sealed container). The initial 's' in Latin often transformed to 'c' in Spanish, a pattern seen in other words like 'cien' from Latin 'centum'.
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 40%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Por favor, cierra la puerta al salir.
Please close the door when you leave.
La tienda cierra a las ocho.
The store closes at eight.
Vamos a cerrar el negocio por vacaciones.
We're going to close the business for vacation.
Cerraron el acuerdo con un apretón de manos.
They closed the deal with a handshake.
Hay que cerrar esta etapa de nuestra vida.
We need to close this chapter of our life.
Mnemonics
- Think of a 'ceramic' door that you need to 'cerrar' (close).
- The 'rr' in 'cerrar' sounds like the rolling of a door being shut.
- Associate with 'certain' - when you close something, you make certain it's secure.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Cultural Context
In Spanish-speaking countries, the concept of 'cerrar' extends beyond physical closing to social contexts. For example, businesses often close for a siesta in the afternoon in some regions. The phrase 'cerrar el círculo' (to close the circle) is commonly used to indicate completing something that was started earlier.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'cerrar' means 'to close', 'serrar' means 'to saw'. They sound similar but have completely different meanings.
This word:
Voy a cerrar la ventana porque hace frío.
I'm going to close the window because it's cold.
Confused word:
El carpintero va a serrar la madera para hacer la mesa.
The carpenter is going to saw the wood to make the table.
Notes: The conjugation patterns are similar, which adds to the confusion.
Mnemonic: Remember: cerrar has a 'c' for 'close', while serrar has an 's' for 'saw'.
Explanation: 'Cerrar' means simply 'to close', while 'encerrar' means 'to lock up' or 'to enclose' something, implying containment.
Confused word:
Van a encerrar a los animales en el establo.
They're going to lock up the animals in the stable.
Notes: 'Encerrar' is more specific about containing something within a closed space.
Mnemonic: Think of 'encerrar' as 'en' (in) + 'cerrar' (to close) = to close something in.