Cerrar is not a tense; it is the infinitive form of a Spanish verb, which means "to close." The infinitive is the base form of a verb, before it has been conjugated for person, number, or tense.
Understanding Infinitives in Spanish
In Spanish, infinitives typically end in -ar, -er, or -ir. "Cerrar" falls into the -ar category. Infinitives serve as the foundation from which all other verb forms (tenses and moods) are derived through conjugation. They express the action in its most general sense, without specifying who is performing the action or when.
For example, when you want to use "cerrar" to talk about something happening at a specific time or by a specific person, you must conjugate it.
How "Cerrar" Relates to Tenses
While "Cerrar" itself is the infinitive, it is the verb that gets conjugated into various tenses to express different times and moods. One common way to use "cerrar" to describe ongoing actions is within the Indicative Present Continuous tense.
The Indicative Present Continuous
The Indicative Present Continuous (also known as the Present Progressive) is used to describe actions that are currently in progress or happening at the moment of speaking. It is formed using the present tense of the verb "estar" (to be) followed by the present participle of the main verb. For "Cerrar," the present participle is "cerrando."
| Subject Pronoun | "Estar" (Present) | "Cerrar" (Present Participle) | Example Conjugation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | estoy | cerrando | estoy cerrando | I am closing |
| Tú | estás | cerrando | estás cerrando | You are closing |
| Él/Ella/Usted | está | cerrando | está cerrando | He/She/You are closing |
| Nosotros/as | estamos | cerrando | estamos cerrando | We are closing |
| Vosotros/as | estáis | cerrando | estáis cerrando | You all are closing |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | están | cerrando | están cerrando | They/You all are closing |
This tense is specifically used to talk about something that is happening continuously or right now. For instance, "estoy cerrando" directly translates to "I am closing," illustrating an action in progress.
Other Key Tenses for "Cerrar"
Beyond the Present Continuous, "Cerrar" can be conjugated across all Spanish tenses to convey actions in the past, future, conditional, or subjunctive moods. Here are a few examples:
- Simple Present:
- Yo cierro (I close) - for habitual actions.
- Preterite (Simple Past):
- Ella cerró (She closed) - for completed actions in the past.
- Future Simple:
- Tú cerrarás (You will close) - for actions that will happen.
Understanding that "Cerrar" is the infinitive is crucial for learning its various conjugations and correctly applying it in different tenses to express the intended meaning.
