A door or container can change from shut to open and back.
The idea
Abrir means to open; cerrar means to close.
| Verbo | Acción |
|---|---|
| abrir | de cerrado a abierto |
| cerrar | de abierto a cerrado |
Examples
- Abro la caja con cuidado.I open the box carefully.
- Cerramos la puerta del jardín.We close the garden door.
- Ella abre un paquete pequeño.She opens a small parcel.
- El niño cierra su mochila.The boy closes his backpack.
- ¿Abres el armario ahora?Are you opening the cupboard now?
- Mi abuelo cierra el tarro.My grandfather closes the jar.
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Watch out
Do not use cerrar when you make an opening accessible.
Try it yourself
Choose the action that fits. La caja está cerrada. Voy a ___ la caja. (abrir / cerrar)
Show answer or example answer
abrir
abrir: the box is shut before the action.
Choose the action that fits. La puerta está abierta. Voy a ___ la puerta. (abrir / cerrar)
Show answer or example answer
cerrar
cerrar: the door is open before the action.
Choose the action that fits. El paquete está cerrado. Ella lo ___ para ver el regalo. (abre / cierra)
Show answer or example answer
abre
abre: the parcel becomes accessible.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Spanish sentences where available. We keep your score.
Choose the action that fits. La caja está cerrada. Voy a ___ la caja. (abrir / cerrar)
Choose the action that fits. La puerta está abierta. Voy a ___ la puerta. (abrir / cerrar)
Choose the action that fits. El paquete está cerrado. Ella lo ___ para ver el regalo. (abre / cierra)
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Describe opening and closing a container.