The verb decir and the verb for "lock"

Question

I have a question on the verb decir. I am at a point in my Spanish where I can tell when something is wrong, but sometimes I can't figure out how to make it right.

So I understand that if I want to say "I don't want to say it to her/him" I would say "no quiero decirsélo."

The problem then for me is if I simply say "I don't want to say it"

"No quiero decirlo?" To me that sounds wrong???

Is it more common to say no lo quiero decir o no quiero decir eso, how about "eso, no lo quiero decir?"

My next question is on lock. To lock a door is technically cerrar, right? But cerrar is also close. So how do you specifically indicate "locking a door" verb wise where the difference between lock and close must be differentiated?

Hello, Amiga, I read from your profile that your are already at the advanced level, I am just a beginner so I am not sure how much of a help I can be .. but I will sure give it a try,, regards - 00b055e0, Sep 17, 2014

if you make a group with jimmy you can add me xD - GexThunderstrom, Sep 17, 2014

haha, you are always welcome Gex .. :) - 00b055e0, Sep 17, 2014

Answer 1

Gex has pretty much answered your question. One thing I'd add is that with ordinary 'turning' locks (not the electronic or pushbutton types), you can say "cerrar con llave" for lock. I've seen that used in several cases, so I am relatively certain this will work with padlocks and the like.

hmm, very good helado.. good answer .. :) - 00b055e0, Sep 17, 2014

with key is "Poner llave" "echar llave" "poner llave" is the same with padlocks "poner candado" "cerrar el candado" "poner candado" xD - GexThunderstrom, Sep 17, 2014

Echar llave is very common here in Spain, t - annierats, Sep 17, 2014

I have never seen the button locks in Europe, we still have keys. - annierats, Sep 17, 2014

Yes Annie, echar llave is cool, i remember reading it somewhere :) - 00b055e0, Sep 17, 2014

Interesting. I'd heard of 'echar la llave' to mean 'throw away the key' (in an article about why not to throw away extra keys, I think). Wonder if there's a relation of that phrase with how echar llave came to be. - Helado_eclectico, Sep 17, 2014

that will be the literal meaning but echar is used figuratively in many expressions - 00b055e0, Sep 17, 2014

Answer 2

I don´t really understand what you want in the first question, but "No lo quiero decir" and "No quiero decir eso" are correct, and "eso, no lo quiero decir?" is out of context.

In the second question we use "close the door" to say "cierra la puerta" is correct but the door has a "button" to really secure it, this button makes it impossible to open the door in the other side. The name of this button in my state is "seguro", we say "poner seguro a la puerta" (put the key in or into)

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Realmente no sé que es lo que quieres en la primera pregunta, pero "No lo quiero decir" y "No quiero decir eso" son correctos, y "eso, no lo quiero decir" está fuera de contexto.

En la segunda pregunta nosotros usamos "close the door" para decir "cerrar la puerta" es correcto pero la puerta tiene un botón para realmente cerrar la puerta, este botón hace imposible abrir la puerta en el otro lado. El nombre de éste botón en mi estado es "seguro", nosotros decimos "poner seguro a la puerta".

"I don't really understand what you want," In the second question we use "close the door" TO say (not for to say), but the door HAS a button to really secure it, this button MAKES IT impossible to open the door ON the other side, "put the key IN or INTO - charlottequevedo, Sep 17, 2014

Thank you - charlottequevedo, Sep 17, 2014

Muchas gracias, lo acabo de corregir :) - GexThunderstrom, Sep 17, 2014

Great Answer Amigo Gex,, kindly also take a gander at mine and Helado's and enlighten us please .. thanks - 00b055e0, Sep 17, 2014

Una gran respuesta amigo, por favor tambien eche una vista a la mia y a la de Helado tambien y por favor alumbrenos .. haha - 00b055e0, Sep 17, 2014

Answer 3

Hello Charlotte,

All of them are correct and are just different ways of saying the same thing.

The DOP can come before or after a conjugated verb, both the positions are correct.

So No lo quiero decir is exactly equal to No quiero decírlo, the only difference being that you need to place an accent mark in the later haha .. but both are grammatically correct.

and if you say, no quiero decir eso/esto ,, in that case also you are still saying the same thing but instead of employing the DOP(direct object pronoun) you are using a demonstrative pronoun eso/esto etc. which in English would mean, I don't want to say that (which is slightly different in meaning because here you are using a specifier pointing towards some specefic thing, object, idea etc.. I don't want to say T H A T) but can still be used in the same sense without much issue understanding the meaning .. haha

As far as locking the door is concerned. if you want to be more specific on emphasizing on the act of locking, you may say " ponga la cerradura por favor" put the lock on or lock it up please .. and there is also a special verb which means to lock up with a key which is "encerrar" but I don't think it would be a good idea to use it as it may also mean to lock some one up (like in a prison) hehe .. but I am not a native, Gex can tell better about this verb as he is a native spanish guapo ... haha

Your answe is very dificult to me because is in english, but i will try to traslate and understand. :) - GexThunderstrom, Sep 17, 2014

hahaha .. your English is also good amigo - 00b055e0, Sep 17, 2014

Concuerdo contigo, en lo que dices sobre la primera cuestión. - GexThunderstrom, Sep 17, 2014

Y si, si se puede decir ponga la cerradura, o ponga el candado. Aunque también se le puede decir: pongale el seguro, pongale el cerrojo. Asegura la puerta etc. xD - GexThunderstrom, Sep 17, 2014

Encerrar el preso, encerrar el gato en la cochera, encerrar el mal olor xD - GexThunderstrom, Sep 17, 2014

Perfect, thanks Amigo, Thanks for verifying my answer and yes I also thought exactly the same about encerrar .. haha .. Gracias amigo, te agradezco que has comprobado mi respuesta y yo tambien pensaba lo mismo exactamente sobre la palabra encerrar .. hah - 00b055e0, Sep 17, 2014