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Prefiero cerrar sesión antes de apagar el portátil.

Prefiero cerrar sesión antes de apagar el portátil.
I prefer to log out before turning off the laptop.
FromLesson 18inHardcore Spanish (Spain)

Breakdown of Prefiero cerrar sesión antes de apagar el portátil.

yo
I
antes de
before
preferir
to prefer
apagar
to turn off
el portátil
the laptop
cerrar sesión
to log out

Questions & Answers about Prefiero cerrar sesión antes de apagar el portátil.

Why is there no article in cerrar sesión? Shouldn’t it be cerrar la sesión?

In IT contexts, cerrar sesión is a fixed expression meaning “to log out,” and it normally appears without an article. Adding the article (cerrar la sesión) tends to refer to closing a specific, formal session (a meeting, court session, parliament, etc.), not logging out.

  • Computing: Voy a cerrar sesión.
  • Formal meeting: El moderador cerró la sesión a las nueve.
When do I use antes de vs antes de que?
  • Use antes de + infinitive/noun when no new conjugated verb follows: Prefiero cerrar sesión antes de apagar el portátil.
  • Use antes de que + subjunctive before a conjugated verb: Prefiero cerrar sesión antes de que apagues el portátil.
    The subjunctive is used because the action is pending/possible, not factual yet.
Can I move the antes de… part to the beginning?

Yes. Antes de apagar el portátil, prefiero cerrar sesión.
A comma is natural after the introductory clause. Meaning is the same; the initial position just emphasizes the time condition.

Is cerrar sesión reflexive? Why not cerrarse la sesión or me cierro la sesión?

It’s not reflexive in this sense. You “close the session” (direct object), you don’t “close yourself.”

  • Correct: Voy a cerrar sesión.
  • Incorrect/unnatural for logging out: Me cierro la sesión.
    Note: La sesión se cerró is possible in non-IT, passive-like contexts.
Why is it apagar (infinitive) and not apago?
After the preposition antes de, Spanish uses the infinitive: antes de apagar. If you want a conjugated verb, switch to antes de que + subjunctive: antes de que apague(s).
Why is the de necessary after antes?

Antes by itself is an adverb (meaning “earlier/before” in a general sense). To link it to a noun or an infinitive, you need the preposition de:

  • Llegué antes. (I arrived earlier.)
  • Llegué antes de la reunión / antes de salir.
Can I use an object pronoun instead of el portátil?

Yes: Prefiero cerrar sesión antes de apagarlo.
With infinitives and gerunds, object pronouns attach to the end (apagarlo). With a conjugated verb, they go before: Lo apago. Here lo is masculine singular for el portátil.

Could this sentence require the subjunctive anywhere?

As written, no. But if you use antes de que, the following verb goes in the subjunctive:

  • Prefiero cerrar sesión antes de que apagues el portátil.
    Also, preferir que triggers the subjunctive:
  • Prefiero que cierres sesión.
Why not me prefiero?
Preferir isn’t reflexive when it means “to prefer.” Me prefiero would literally mean “I prefer myself,” which isn’t what you want. Use prefiero + infinitive: Prefiero cerrar sesión…
Is prefiero the best way to sound polite? What about preferiría or es mejor?
  • Prefiero = clear, direct personal preference.
  • Preferiría = more tentative/polite or hypothetical: Preferiría cerrar sesión…
  • Es mejor = impersonal recommendation: Es mejor cerrar sesión…
Can I say prefiero cerrar sesión a apagar el portátil?

That means “I prefer logging out to shutting the laptop down” (a choice between two actions), not “before.” For time order, use antes de:

  • Time: Prefiero cerrar sesión antes de apagar el portátil.
  • Preference between options: Prefiero cerrar sesión a apagar el portátil.
Could I say mi portátil instead of el portátil?

Yes. El portátil is common when the item is contextually clear; mi portátil makes possession explicit. Both are fine:

  • Prefiero cerrar sesión antes de apagar el portátil.
  • Prefiero cerrar sesión antes de apagar mi portátil.
What’s the best word in Spain: portátil, ordenador, or computadora?

In Spain:

  • ordenador = computer (general)
  • portátil = laptop (often used alone as a noun: el portátil)
  • ordenador portátil = laptop (more explicit) Computadora is more Latin American; understood in Spain but not the usual choice.
Is there any difference between cerrar sesión and salir?

Yes. In software:

  • cerrar sesión = log out of your user account.
  • salir = quit/exit the app or window (may or may not log you out).
    Some interfaces in Spain also use desconectar to mean “log out.”
Any accent or pronunciation tips here?
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