If you want to know how to say near in Spanish, the most common phrase is cerca de. It means “near” or “close to” and is used before a place, person, or thing. The adjective cercano or cercana means “nearby” or “close.”
“Near” in Spanish is usually cerca de, pronounced approximately “SEHR-kah deh.” For example, Vivo cerca de aquí means “I live near here.”
How Do You Say Near in Spanish?
The most useful expression for near in Spanish is cerca de. Use it before a noun or place: cerca de la estación, “near the station.” For location at a place rather than near it, compare at in Spanish.
When no noun follows, use cerca: Vivo cerca means “I live nearby.”
Meaning: Near
Different Spanish Words for Near
Use cerca de for location, cercano for an adjective, and junto a when something is directly beside another thing.
1. Cerca de — Near
Cerca de is the standard prepositional phrase: El hotel está cerca de la playa, “The hotel is near the beach.”
2. Cerca — Nearby / Close
Cerca can stand alone as an adverb. La tienda está cerca means “The store is nearby.”
3. Cercano / Cercana — Near / Nearby
Cercano and cercana are adjectives. They agree with the noun: un pueblo cercano, “a nearby town,” and una playa cercana, “a nearby beach.”
4. Junto a — Next to / Beside
Junto a means “next to” or “beside.” It usually suggests closer physical proximity than cerca de: El banco está junto al parque, “The bench is next to the park.”
5. Alrededor de — Around / Approximately
Alrededor de means “around” for a location or “approximately” before a number. Alrededor de diez minutos means “about ten minutes.”
Near in Spanish: Quick Comparison
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| Spanish | Meaning | Use |
|---|---|---|
| cerca de | near / close to | Before a place or noun |
| cerca | nearby | Used alone |
| cercano / cercana | nearby | Adjective |
| junto a | next to / beside | Very close location |
| alrededor de | around / approximately | Location or approximate amount |
How to Pronounce Cerca de
Cerca de is pronounced approximately “SEHR-kah deh.” In most Spanish varieties, the c in cerca has an s sound in Latin America and a th sound in much of Spain.
The final a in cerca and e in de are pronounced clearly.
How to Talk About Distance in Spanish
Use estar cerca de to say that a place is near another place: La estación está cerca de aquí, “The station is near here.”
To ask whether something is near, say ¿Está cerca? or ¿Está cerca de aquí? For a distance, add a: a cinco minutos de aquí, “five minutes from here.”
Example Sentences Using Near in Spanish
Use: Asking about a nearby place.
Use: Describing where you live.
Use: Saying something is directly beside a place.
Frequently Asked Questions About Near in Spanish
Tap a question below to see the answer.
How do you say near in Spanish?
Use cerca de before a place or noun. Use cerca by itself for “nearby.”
How do you say near me in Spanish?
Say cerca de mí, meaning “near me.”
What is the difference between cerca and cerca de?
Cerca de is followed by a noun or place. Cerca can stand alone: Está cerca, “It is nearby.”
How do you say nearby in Spanish?
Use cerca as an adverb or cercano / cercana as an adjective.
How do you say next to in Spanish?
Say junto a or al lado de. Both mean “next to” or “beside.”
How do you say close to in Spanish?
Use cerca de. It means both “near” and “close to” in location contexts.
Summary: How to Say Near in Spanish
The main phrase for near in Spanish is cerca de. Use cerca alone for “nearby” and cercano / cercana as an adjective.
Use junto a for “next to” when two things are directly beside each other, and alrededor de for “around” or “approximately.”
