Breakdown of Cierra el grifo cuando termines de beber agua.
el agua
the water
beber
to drink
cuando
when
el
the
cerrar
to close
de
of
terminar
to finish
el grifo
the tap
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Questions & Answers about Cierra el grifo cuando termines de beber agua.
Why is cierra used here instead of cierras or cierres?
Cierra is the affirmative tú command (imperative) of cerrar. In Spanish, to form an affirmative tú imperative for regular –ar verbs, you take the third-person singular of the present indicative (él/ella): (él) cierra → cierra (tú). You don’t use cierras (present indicative) or cierres (subjunctive) in this case.
What’s the difference between cierra and cierre?
Cierra is the informal command for tú, while cierre is the formal command for usted. So if you’re speaking politely to one person, you’d say Cierre el grifo… instead of Cierra el grifo….
Why is it el grifo and not la grifo?
Grifo is a masculine noun in Spanish, so it takes the masculine article el (not la). Always match the article’s gender to the noun’s gender: el grifo, la llave (another word for “tap” in some regions), el vaso, la casa, etc.
Is grifo the only word for “tap” in Spanish?
No. In Spain, grifo is the standard term. In many Latin American countries you’ll also hear llave or canilla for the device that controls water flow. Context and region will determine which word is most common.
Why is termines used instead of terminas?
After cuando (when) referring to a future action, Spanish uses the subjunctive in the subordinate clause. Here you’re talking about “when you finish drinking”—an action that will happen in the future—so you use subjunctive (termines) rather than the indicative (terminas).
Why is there a de in termines de beber?
The verb terminar requires the preposition de when it’s followed by another verb: terminar de + infinitive means to finish doing something. So termines de beber = “you finish drinking.”
Why is there no article before agua in beber agua?
When talking about an indefinite amount of an uncountable noun (“drink water” in general), Spanish usually omits the article. It’s like English “drink water,” not “drink the water.” If you meant a specific water, you’d say beber el agua.
Could I use apaga el grifo instead of cierra el grifo?
While apagar means “to turn off,” it’s more common with devices (lights, TV, motor). For taps, Spanish speakers typically use cerrar (“close”). You might hear apaga el grifo colloquially, but cierra el grifo is the standard.
How would this sentence change if I spoke to usted or to a group (vosotros) in Spain?
For usted (formal singular), use third-person forms:
• Cierre el grifo cuando termine de beber agua.
For vosotros (informal plural in Spain), use the vosotros imperative:
• Cerrad el grifo cuando terminéis de beber agua.