How to use ‘chiudere’

The Italian verb  chiudere  is often used to describe physically closing a thing, most often a door or a window, and can be translated as “to close” or “to shut.” When the reference is to fastening a lock, the translation changes, and is “to lock,” or “to bolt.”

When a shop physically “closes” or “shuts its doors” and stops offering services for the day, this act can be described with chiudere.

As far as other physical endeavors go, chiudere is often used when an English speaker would describe “turning off” or “shutting off” an appliance or an electrical switch.

Stretching the basic meaning a bit, chiudere can be used to describe the physical closure, or more specifically “enclosure”of a space, such as by a physical wall or a fence.  This also extends to “blocking off,” or “closing off” a place, either physically or  from one’s line of vision.

The primary meanings of chiudere
to describe physical actions
are straightforward and similar to how English speakers
approach the same concepts.

But the beauty in any language is often found
in the creative meanings of its verbs;
and Italians use the verb chiudere creatively
in many situations!

Chiudere describes not only the daily closing of the doors to a shop, but also the permanent “closing down” of a business, and in particular “going out of business” with the Italian phrase, “chiudere per fallimento.”

When Italians want to admonish one another to end a discussion, they do not use the Italian equivalent to the verbs “finished” or “over,” that an English speaker would use.  Instead, Italians say the “discussion has closed” or “ended” with chiudere. To end the discussion in a rude way, one can always use chiudere to say the equivalent of, “Shut up!” 

In a similar vein, Italians emphasize that a relationship is over with the verb chiudere, which stands in for the English phrases “break up,”  or “end it.” Also, if  an Italian wants to describe closing a bank account or that differences with another need be “settled,” the verb chiudere again comes into play.

The reflexive verb chiudersi is used to describe an inanimate object closing “by itself” as well as the human state of physically “shutting oneself away” from the world, such as in a room, home, or even being locked out of one’s house. Figuratively speaking, chiudersi can also refer to one mentally “closing oneself off” from others or their ideas.

Finally, there are many common Italian expressions that use chiudere, which are listed at the end of this blog.

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How to Conjugate Chiudere

Chiudere is a regular -ere verb in the present tense. The full conjugation is given in the table below.  The same conjugation applies to chiudersi, with the addition of a reflexive pronoun (mi, ti, si, ci, vi, si)  before the conjugated form of the verb or attached to the end of the infinitive form.

Present Tense Chiudere — To Close

io	chiudo	I close
tu	chiudi	You (familiar) close
Lei, lei, lui	chiude	You (polite), he, she closes
noi	chiudiamo	We close
voi	chiudete	You all close
loro	chiudono	They close

 

Past Tense Chiudere:

Passato Prossimo: The past participle is irregular, and is chiuso. Chiudere takes avere as the helping verb in most situations but can also take essere (see Section 4). If  you need a refresher on how to use helping verbs in the passato prossimo, visit a previous blog, “Italian Past: Avere vs. Essere?”

Note that chiudersi  also takes essere as the helping verb, as do all reflexive verbs.

 

The full conjugations are:
ho chiuso, hai chiuso, ha chiuso,
abbiamo chiuso, avete chiuso, hanno chiuso

-or-

sono chiuso(a), sei chiuso(a), è chiuso(a),
siamo chiusi(e), siete chiusi(e), sono chiusi(e)

 

Imperfetto: Chiudere has a regular conjugation in the imperfetto past tense (chiudevo, chiudevi, chiudeva, chiudevamo, chiudevate, chiudevano).

 

Future tense Chiudere: Chiudere is a regular verb in the future tense: chiuderò, chiuderai, chiuderà, chiuderemo, chiuderete, chiuderanno.

 

Command Forms:
(tu) Chiudi…!
(voi) Chiudete…!

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1. Use chiudere to describe the physical actions of “closing,” “shutting,” or “locking” an object.

• As noted in the introduction, the verb chiudere  is often used in a straightforward way to describe someone physically closing an object, most often a door or a window.  In English, we often ask someone to “shut” a door or a window, while in Italian the verb chiudere is used for both “to close” and “to shut.” 
• Italian does not make a distinction between fastening a lock or closing other objects.  To describe fastening a lock in Italian, simply use chiudere to mean “to lock” or “to bolt.” There is a specific phrase that is often used to describe locking a door, as in “to lock up,” which is “chiudere a chiave.” This phrase is literally, “to close with a key.” Now-a-days, of course, we have electronic key pads and key cards, although the Italian phrase that means “to lock up” has not changed.
• Italians have many creative ways to describe the actual motion of a door closing.  For instance, the verb sbattere can be used instead of chiudere when a door has been “slammed shut.”  To “snap shut,” or “close abruptly,” the phrase “di scatto” is added after chiudere.  If a door or window suddenly “swings shut” of its own volition (usually due to a gust of wind), the descriptive term chiudersi sbattendo comes into play.  (See section 6 for more on the reflexive chiudersi.)
• On occasion, one may “slam the door in the face” of an unwanted person on his or her doorstep.  In this case, two Italian phrases come into play: “chiudere la porta su…” (on somebody) or more specifically, like the English version, “chiudere la porta in faccia a…”  Notice Italians close the door on somebody or in somebody’s face, just Americans do, although the definite article “the” (la) is not used before the noun faccia.  
• When a shop stops offering its services and physically “closes” or “shuts its doors” for the day, this act can be described with chiudere. When closed for a holiday, many shop owners hang a sign in their door that says, “Chiuso per le ferie.” 
• Stretching the basic meaning a bit, chiudere can be used to describe the physical closure or, more specifically “enclosure” of a space, such as by a physical wall or a fence.  This also extends to “blocking off” or “closing off” a place.  This phrase applies both physically and figuratively, such as if the place is quartered off so it is no longer in one’s line of vision.

Some examples:  You will notice that familiar commands are used often with chiudere in these situations.  If you need a refresher on how to create familiar commands in Italian, visit a previous blog in this series: Familiar Italian Commands.

Chiudi la porta quando te ne vai!
Close the door when you go (away from here). (familiar command)

Va bene. La porta è chiusa adesso.
Very well. The door is closed now.

Che freddo! Chiudi la finestra!
It’s cold! Shut the window! (familiar command)

Chiudi a chiave la casa e andiamo a fare spese!
Lock up the house and let’s go shopping! (familiar commands)

Non sbattere la porta!
Don’t slam the door! (familiar command)

Marco ha chiuso la porta di scatto e ha lasciato la stanza in fretta.
Mark closed the door abruptly and left the room in a hurry.

Maria ha chiuso la porta in faccia all ex-marito quando è venuto e le ha chiesto dei soldi.
Mary slammed the door in the face of her ex-husband when he came and asked her for some money.

2. Use chiudere to describe the physical actions of  “turning off” or “shutting off” an object vs. spegnere to “shut down”

• As far as other physical endeavors go, chiudere is often used when an English speaker would describe “turning off” or “shutting off” an appliance or an electrical switch.
• Italian does make a distinction between “shutting off” and “shutting down” a machine or engine, however. To describe “shutting down a machine,” and in particular an engine or a computer, or logging off an account on a computer, Italians use the verb spegnere.  Spegnere is an irregular verb in the present tense and has an irregular past participle (spento). The past participle spento is used often when conversing in Italian about daily activities and should be committed to memory. Avere is the helping verb for spegnere in the passato prossimo.
• If one has disconnected or stopped the supply of household utilities, such as water, electricity or gas, chiudere or spegnere are often used to describe this act; the more specific Italian verbs for this type of situation are staccare and interrompere. 
• If a machine or household utilities have been “abruptly shut-off,” or “shutoff,” this abrupt change is expressed in Italian either with the noun “l’arresto,” or the phrase “interruzione del funzionamento.”  If the shut-off is complete, Italians use “di arresto,” or “di interruzione.”

Non dimenticare di chiudere le luci prima di andare a letto!
Don’t forget to turn out the lights before going to bed!
(Italian infinitive verbs are used for familiar negative commands)

Spegni il computer correttamente ogni sera per evitare dei problemi.
Shut down the computer correctly every night to avoid problems. (familiar command)

L’idraulico ha staccato l’acqua della casa.
The plumber turned off the water to the house.

C’e stata un’interruzione del funzionamento dell’elettricità per due ore ieri a causa del temporale.
The electric was abruptly shut-off for two hours yesterday due to the thunderstorm.

L’elettricità è rimasta spenta per due ore ieri.
The electric was shut down for two hours yesterday.

 

3. Use chiudere to describe the inner workings and closing of a business

• The verb chiudere is used not only  to describe daily shop closings, but also the permanent “closing down” of a business. To simply mention that a business has “shut down,” for good, use chiudere alone (with the meaning understood from the conversation) or the phrases:  “chiudere i battenti” or “cessare l’attività.”
• If the reason behind the closure is bankruptcy, then Italian phase to use for “to go out of business” is “chiudere per fallimento.”
• In the singular, “chiudere un conto” in the business world means “to close a bank account.” (See also Section 5.)
• Those with a functioning business must “chiudere i conti” or balance the books.  And hope they do not “chiudere in passivo,” or lose money/take a loss.

La azienda cessa l’attività oggi. Ha chiuso per fallimento.
The company closed down today. It went out of business.

Dopo vent’anni, la famiglia ha chiuso un conto con la banca.
After twenty years, the family closed an account with the bank.

È importante di chiudere i conti ogni settimana, mi raccomando!
It’s important to balance the books every week, I’m telling you!

4. Use chiudere to describe finishing a discussion and to say “Shut up!”

• When Italians want admonish one another to end a discussion, they do not use the Italian equivalent to the verbs “finished” or “over,” as an English speaker usually does.  Instead, Italians say the “discussion has closed” or has “ended” with chiudere.  Remember when using the past participle chiuso with essere to say, “It is finished/over/done” to change the ending of chiuso to reflect if “it” is masculine or feminine.
• There are many colorful interjections Italians use to request another to stop talking or to be quiet.  In order of most polite to least polite familiar commands: “Stai zitto!” means, “Be quiet!” (most often to children); “Taci!” means, “Quiet!”/ “Shut it!” and “Chiudi la bocca!” means, “Shut your mouth!”
• To end the discussion in a way that is considered rude, or even vulgar to an Italian, one can always use chiudere to say, “Shut your mug/face/trap!” with the familiar command, “Chiudi il becco!”  As in English, various parolacce (curse words) can be interspersed throughout this phrase for added emphasis, which will not be discussed here.
• To use the interjection “Shut up!” to communicate disbelief, similar to the English “No way!” Italians can say, “Ma dai!” (“Shut up!” for “C’mon, no way!”) and  “Ma non mi dire!” (“Shut up!” for “You don’t say!”)

Non voglio sentire una parola di più. Questa conversazione è chiusa!
I don’t want to hear another word. This conversation is over!

Stai zitto Michele! Dobbiamo ascoltare l’insegnante adesso.
Be quiet Michael! We have to listen to the teacher now.

Taci! Devi stare silenzioso dietro le quinte.
Be quiet! You have to be quiet backstage.

Non supporto queste tue idee! Chiudi la bocca!
I can’t stand these ideas of yours.  Shut up!

Ma dai! Non ci credo!
Shut up/ C’mon! I don’t believe it!

 

5. Use chiudere to describe the end of a romance

• In a similar vein, Italians emphasize that a relationship is over with the verb chiudere, which stands in for the English phrases “break up” or “end it.”  To talk about a break-up after it has happened, use the past participle chiuso with the helping verb avere. 
• “Chiudere con” can have a more negative connotation, as in one person being “done with” or “through with” another, implying the end of the relationship. But be careful! This phrase can also mean “to do away with” another person!
• The business phrase from Section 3, “chiudere i conti con,” can be used in a figurative way to describe ending a relationship — completely. Think of this phrase as a way of implying that all issues have been “accounted for” — at least in the mind of the person ending the relationship — and there is nothing more that can be done to resolve the situation.  
• Another phrase from Section 3, “chiudere un conto,” can be used figuratively with the meanings of “to settle a score” or “to get revenge.”

Several of how chiudere can be used to talk about ending a relationship are below.

Marco ha chiuso con Maria.
Mark broke up with Maria.

Maria ha chiuso con Marco.
Maria is done with Mark.

Maria e Marco hanno chiuso.
Maria and Mark broke up.

Maria ha chiuso i conti con Marco perché è un egoista.
Maria ended the relationship with Mark because he is a selfish person.

Chiudiamo qui i conti; non voglio più parlare con te!
Let’s end this relationship here; I don’t want to speak with you any more! (familiar command)

La famiglia deve chiudere un conto con il ladro. 
The family has to get revenge on the thief.

6. Use chiudersi with reference to inanimate objects and “shutting oneself in” or “closing oneself off”

• The reflexive verb chiudersi is used to describe an inanimate object closing “by itself.” From Section 1, if a door has “slammed shut” or “snapped shut” by itself, use “chiudersi di scatto” to describe this independent action. If a door or window suddenly “swings shut” of its own volition, the descriptive term chiudersi sbattendo. Remember that essere must be used as the helping verb in the passato prossimo with chiudersi, as for all reflexive verbs.
• The human state of physically “shutting oneself away” from the world, such as in a room or home, can be described with the verbs chiudersi or rinchiudersi. A “shut in,” especially a prisoner who has been “locked up” is called a “rinchiuso.” 
• Figuratively speaking, chiudersi can also refer to one mentally “closing oneself off” from others or their ideas.
• Of note: when shutting in/out another from a home or other space, different Italian verbs come into play. To shut in (usually an animal) within a room or home, use rinchiudere.  To shut out (usually an animal) from a room or house, use “chiudere fuori.” 
• To figuratively shut someone out from a group or conversation, use escludere.

La porta si è chiusa di scatto.
The door slammed shut.

Che vento c’è stasera! Le finestre si sono chiuse sbattendo!
What wind there is tonight!  The windows swung shut by themselves!

Si sono chiusi fuori di casa per sbaglio.
They locked themselves out of the house by accident.

Durante la pandemia nel 2020, tutti erano rinchiusi nelle loro case.
During the pandemic of 2020, everyone was a shut in their own home.

Ogni sera, il contadino deve rinchiudere le galline nel pollaio.
Every night, the farmer has to shut the chickens in the chicken coop.

Ogni mattina, devo chiudere fuori il mio gatto dalla cucina.
Every morning, I have to shut my cat out of the kitchen.

 

6. Chiudere is an integral part of many Italian phrases, some of which are listed below

 

chiudere il cerchio	to come full circle to finish the deal
chiudere in bellezza	to end with a bang to end in style to go out with a bang to go out in style
chiudere un occhio	to turn a blind eye to something
chiudere un occhio su	to turn a blind eye on something (pretend nothing has happened)
(avere) lo stomaco chiuso	to have no appetite (usually because something upsetting has happened) to have an upset stomach (as above) to have “a stomach in knots” (as above)

 

 

Remember the many meanings of
the Italian verb chiudere
and I guarantee you will use this verb
every day!