What's the diference?

Question

Between near and close

I want to say:

There is no something better than live near/close the sea.

No hay nada mejor que vivir cerca del mar.

Answer 1

There's nothing beter than living near the sea.

There's nothing better than living close to the sea.

(or you can say)

There's nothing better than living by the sea.

To me, they can all mean the same thing. However..:

near and close mean the same.

to live by something is more vague, you can live right next to it or a little ways from it. it's like saying "Vivir por el mar..."

Answer 2

Is ther no diferences then? Could be interchangeable?

Yes, near and close to are interchangeable here. Note, you don´t have to use ´to´ with near, but do with close. - rogspax, Nov 28, 2012

Thanks a lot!! - _kib, Nov 28, 2012

('are' there no differences then? or 'is' there no difference then? Could 'they' be interchangeable?) ;) - Kiwi-Girl, Nov 28, 2012

Thank you kiwi - _kib, Nov 29, 2012

Answer 3

There is nothing better than living close to/near/by the sea. Estas todas son posibilidades.

Answer 4

One little difference is that when you use these words to describe physical proximity (the actual physical distance of one thing to another) 'near' can go straight before a noun but 'close' is followed by 'to'.

I live near the city.

I live close 'to' the city.

I would say that of the above two, 'near' would be a little more common and 'close to' might be slightly more formal.

In other circumstances 'near' can be followed by a noun (without 'to') but in these situations near & close may not be interchangeable, eg you can use 'close' to express emotional closeness but the same sentence won't work with 'near'.

I have a very close friend. but not ..... I have a very near friend.

Answer 5

Or a second possibility.

There isn´t (is not) anything better than living close to the sea.

Note that in either case, in English, there can be only be one ´negative´ word.

It´s either ´is not anything better´ or ´is nothing better´

hth

Answer 6

There is nothing better than living close to the sea.