apagar

to turn off

verb ah-pah-GAHR Rare

Also means

to extinguish

Usage Note

Apagar covers turning off lights, screens, and appliances as well as extinguishing fires and candles. It is a regular -ar verb with a spelling change g→gu before -e (apagué). The opposite is encender (to light/turn on). The idiom apagar y vámonos ('turn it off and let's go') signals something so good — or so bad — that there's nothing left to say.

Examples

"Apaga la luz al salir."

Natural Translation

Turn off the light when you leave.

Related Words

Explore Spanish by topic

SpanishNow

Ser vs. Estar: When to Use Each in Spanish

Ser vs estar made simple: how you feel and where you are use estar, everything else uses ser. Master the rule, the exceptions, and the traps that flip meaning.

June 3, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

The Spanish Cheek Kiss: Greeting Etiquette by Country

Two kisses in Spain, one in most of Latin America. Master the Spanish cheek kiss greeting — which cheek first, the air-kiss mechanics, and when to shake hands.

June 3, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

Mexican Spanish Slang Every Traveler Should Know

Mexican Spanish slang decoded for travelers: what güey, mande, órale, and ahorita really mean, who you can safely say them to, and how rude each one is.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

Tener in Spanish: Why You're Hungry, Cold & 30 Years

In Spanish you HAVE hunger, cold, and 30 years — not are them. Master tener expressions like tengo hambre, tengo frío, and tengo 30 años in one rule.

June 9, 2026 5 min read