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.

Free starter pack

Building your Spanish vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common Spanish words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

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

Spain vs Latin American Spanish: Key Differences

Spain and Latin American Spanish are fully mutually intelligible. Compare vosotros vs ustedes, coche vs carro, the 'th' sound, and learn which one to study.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

How to Memorize Spanish Vocabulary Fast (That Sticks)

Memorize Spanish vocabulary fast with a 15-minute daily loop: spaced repetition, frequency-first words, and example-sentence cards that actually stick.

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