verb

apagar

turn off

Es dejar de hacer funcionar algo que estaba encendido, como una luz o un aparato.

Word: apagar

Language: Spanish

Meaning:

Apagar is a verb in Spanish which primarily means "to turn off," "to switch off," or "to extinguish."

It is used to indicate the action of stopping something from operating or to put out light, fire, or other sources of energy or illumination.

Breakdown:

Prefix: a (no particular prefix meaning here)
Root: pagar (though "pagar" alone means "to pay," in this case, "apagar" acts as a single verb)

The verb "apagar" is a single lexical unit and should be understood as a whole rather than split, as the root "pagar" in this context isn’t active.

Primary Uses:

Turning off devices:
- Apagar la luz → To turn off the light
- Apagar la televisión → To turn off the TV
Extinguishing fire or flames:
- Apagar el fuego → To put out the fire
- Apagar una vela → To blow out a candle
Figurative use:
Can mean to stop an impulse, enthusiasm, or emotions (e.g., apagar la emoción).

Synonyms:

Extinguir (to extinguish, especially fire or flames)
Desconectar (to disconnect, often used for devices)
Cerrar (to close, when related to shutting down a device or process)

Antonyms:

Encender (to turn on, to ignite, to light)
Prender (similar to "encender," to turn on or light)

Examples:

Apaga el celular antes de entrar al cine.
(Turn off your cellphone before entering the cinema.)
Necesitamos apagar el incendio antes de que se propague.
(We need to extinguish the fire before it spreads.)

In brief, "apagar" is essential in contexts involving turning off devices or extinguishing flames and occasionally employed figuratively to indicate stopping or silencing something.