‘Turn Off’ in Spanish | Say It Without Sounding Stiff

“Turn off” looks easy until you try to say it in Spanish. English packs a few ideas into two words: powering down, flipping a switch, unplugging a cable, disabling a feature, taking a different road, and even losing interest in someone.

Spanish splits those meanings across different verbs. Pick the one that matches the situation, and you’ll sound natural right away. This article gives you daily choices, polite options, and short drills you can use the same day.

What “Turn Off” Usually Means In Spanish

Most of the time, people mean one thing: “Make that device stop.” For that meaning, Spanish leans on apagar. It works for lights, TVs, fans, stoves, alarms, and engines.

You’ll also hear apagar in the sense of “put out” a flame: Apaga la vela (put out the candle). Same verb, different object.

Apagar Vs. Apagarse

Apagar is what you do to something: Apaga la luz (turn off the light). You’re the one taking the action.

Apagarse is what happens: La luz se apagó (the light went off). This wording points to the result, so it fits power cuts, dead batteries, and devices that shut down on their own.

Pronunciation That Won’t Trip You Up

Say apagar like “ah-pah-GAR,” with the stress at the end. Keep the vowels steady: Spanish vowels stay crisp instead of stretching.

For desconectar, try “des-con-ec-TAR.” If you say each chunk cleanly, it comes out smooth.

‘Turn Off’ in Spanish For Lights, Apps, And Devices

If you’re talking about a thing that has power, start with apagar. It’s the phrase you’ll hear most in homes, hotels, classrooms, and offices.

Then choose a small tweak based on what you’re doing. Are you switching it off, unplugging it, or turning a feature off inside an app? Spanish has a clean option for each.

Lights And Lamps

To one person you know well: Apaga la luz. To a group: Apaguen la luz. If you’re speaking to someone you’d address as usted, use Apague la luz.

If the power goes out, you’ll hear the reflexive form: Se apagó la luz or La luz se apagó.

Phones, Tablets, And Computers

“Turn off the phone” is often Apaga el teléfono. In many places, people say celular or móvil instead: Apaga el celular or Apaga el móvil.

On computers, you’ll hear both Apaga la computadora and Apaga el ordenador (Spain). If you mean sleep mode, some speakers say Ponlo en reposo or Ponlo en suspensión, depending on the system language.

Screens, Sound, And Alerts

If you want only the screen off, Apaga la pantalla is common. That’s different from shutting the whole device down.

For audio, Spanish often uses a different verb when the goal is lower volume: Baja el volumen. If you want silence, Apaga la música works, and Silencia works for “mute.”

Appliances, Stoves, And Engines

Kitchen language leans on apagar too: Apaga la estufa (turn off the stove) and Apaga el horno (turn off the oven).

For a car: Apaga el motor. For a machine: Apaga la máquina. Short, clear, and common.

Unplugging And Cutting Power

If you mean unplug, Spanish often goes with desconectar: Desconecta el cargador or Desconecta el aparato. Some regions also use desenchufar for unplugging from a wall outlet.

If the action happens at a breaker panel, you may hear phrases like Baja el interruptor (flip the switch down) or Corta la luz (cut the power). Those fit when the whole room goes dark.

Turning A Feature Off In Settings

Settings language often uses desactivar because you’re disabling a function, not powering the device down. Try: Desactiva las notificaciones, Desactiva el Bluetooth, or Desactiva la ubicación.

You’ll also see activar/desactivar inside menus, so it helps to learn them as a pair.

Pronouns And Accents In Commands

Once you start giving commands, Spanish often adds little object pronouns: “turn it off,” “turn them off,” “turn it off for me.” That’s where forms like apágalo show up.

With positive commands, the pronoun usually attaches to the end: Apágalo (turn it off), Apágala (turn it off, feminine noun), Apágalos (turn them off, masculine), Apágalas (turn them off, feminine).

Notice the accent mark: apaga becomes apágalo. That written accent keeps the stress in the right spot once the word gets longer.

With negative commands, the pronoun goes in front: No lo apagues (don’t turn it off), No la apague (don’t turn it off, polite).

Phrase Table For Daily Situations

If you want a one-glance reference, use this table as your pick list. Each line matches a common moment, so you can choose the Spanish that fits what’s happening.

What You Mean	Natural Spanish	Notes
Turn off the light	Apaga la luz	Apague is polite; Apaguen is for a group
Turn off the TV	Apaga la tele	Televisor is also common
Turn off the phone	Apaga el celular	Teléfono or móvil depending on region
Turn off the screen	Apaga la pantalla	Screen off, device stays on
Turn off the stove	Apaga la estufa	Also hornilla for a burner in some places
Turn off the engine	Apaga el motor	Used for cars and other engines
Turn off the alarm	Apaga la alarma	Silencia works when you mean “mute”
Turn off notifications	Desactiva las notificaciones	Feature off, device still on
Turn off Bluetooth	Desactiva el Bluetooth	Menu language often uses activar/desactivar
Unplug the charger	Desconecta el cargador	Desenchufa is common for wall outlets
Flip the breaker off	Baja el interruptor	Used at the electrical panel
Put out the candle	Apaga la vela	Same verb, different meaning in context

Polite Requests That Don’t Sound Awkward

Spanish can sound blunt if you stick to straight commands with strangers. The fix is simple: switch to a polite form or turn it into a short question.

Both routes are natural. Choose based on who you’re speaking to and how direct you want to be.

Direct But Normal

With friends or family, the tú command is daily speech: Apaga la luz. If you want it a bit softer, add por favor at the end.

Polite With One Person

Use the usted command: Apague la luz. This keeps the request respectful without piling on extra words.

You can also use a question: ¿Puede apagar la luz? That’s close to “Could you turn off the light?” and works well in shops, hotels, and workplaces.

Polite With A Group

In most Spanish-speaking countries, the group form is ustedes: Apaguen la luz. In Spain, you’ll also hear Apagad la luz with vosotros.

When “Turn Off” Means Take Another Road

English can say “turn off the road” or “turn off at the next street.” Spanish typically uses movement verbs, not power verbs.

Try these options:

• Turn right/left:Dobla a la derecha / Dobla a la izquierda
• Make a turn:Gira (right/left)
• Take the exit:Toma la salida
• Pull off to the side:Oríllate (common in Mexico) or Aparta el coche (varies by region)

Mini dialogue you can copy:

A:¿Dónde giro?
B:En la próxima calle, dobla a la derecha.

When “Turn Off” Means Lose Interest Or Get Repelled

This meaning is common in dating talk and day-to-day opinions. Spanish does not use apagar here, so you’ll want a different phrase.

Grossed Out

If something disgusts you, people say Me da asco or Me da repelús (Spain). These are strong, so use them when you mean it.

Put Off Or Discouraged

For “that turned me off” in the sense of losing interest, try Me desanimó or Me quitó las ganas. These fit comments, attitudes, and situations that kill motivation.

No Longer Interested

For attraction, a common phrasing is Me dejó de gustar (I stopped liking them) or Se me fueron las ganas (the desire went away). The tone can be blunt, so pick based on the setting.

Mini dialogue you can copy:

A:¿Te gusta todavía?
B:No. Con eso, me quitó las ganas.

Command Forms You’ll Hear All The Time

Knowing a few command forms helps in real conversations. People will ask you to turn something off, and you’ll want to answer without pausing to build a sentence.

Positive Commands

• Tú:Apaga
• Usted:Apague
• Ustedes:Apaguen
• Vosotros:Apagad (Spain)

Negative Commands

For “don’t turn it off,” Spanish uses different forms:

• Tú:No apagues
• Usted:No apague
• Ustedes:No apaguen
• Vosotros:No apaguéis (Spain)

Table Of Commands And Polite Options

Use this table as a fast reference when you need a command, a polite request, or a quick “don’t do that” in the moment.

Situation	What You Say	When It Fits
Friend (tú)	Apaga la luz	Home, friends, casual
Stranger (usted)	Apague la luz	Workplaces, service settings
Group (ustedes)	Apaguen la luz	Classrooms, meetings
Group (Spain)	Apagad la luz	Spain, casual groups
Soft question	¿Puede apagar la luz?	When you want it gentler
Soft question (group)	¿Pueden apagar la luz?	Polite to several people
Stop someone	No lo apagues	“Don’t turn it off”
Unplug it	Desconéctalo	Pulling a plug or cable

Common Mistakes And Clean Fixes

Mistake: Using apagar for driving directions.
Fix: Use doblar, girar, or toma la salida.

Mistake: Saying Apaga el volumen when you mean “turn it down.”
Fix: Say Baja el volumen. Use apagar when you want it off.

Mistake: Translating “turn off” (repel) with apagar.
Fix: Use Me desanimó, Me quitó las ganas, or Me da asco, based on the feeling.

Mistake: Forgetting the accent in apágalo and apágala.
Fix: If you attach a pronoun to a positive command, check the stress. Many of these forms carry a written accent.

Practice Drills That Stick

Say these out loud, not just in your head. Your mouth learns the rhythm, and the phrases start to come out on their own.

Drill 1: Three Objects Around You

1. Light: Apaga la luz.
2. Phone: Apaga el celular or Apaga el móvil.
3. Charger: Desconecta el cargador.

Drill 2: Make It Polite

Take the same lines and switch one word:

• Apaga becomes Apague.
• Add a question: ¿Puede apagar la luz?

Drill 3: Settings Language

Pick one setting on your phone and say it in Spanish:

• Desactiva el Bluetooth.
• Desactiva las notificaciones.
• Activa el modo avión (turn on airplane mode).

Final Takeaway

Use apagar for power and switches. Use desconectar for plugs and cables. Use desactivar for settings. When the meaning shifts to roads or attraction, switch verbs and your Spanish will sound right.