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"Close to" is a phrase which is often translated as "cerca de", and "nearby" is an adverb which is often translated as "cerca". Learn more about the difference between "close to" and "nearby" below.
close to(
klos
 
tu
)
A phrase is a group of words commonly used together (e.g., once upon a time).
phrase
a. cerca de
My mom lives close to the school.Mi mamá vive cerca de la escuela.
a.
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
no direct translation
I like my coworkers, but I'm not close to any of them.Me gustan mis colegas, pero no tengo mucha relación con ninguno de ellos.
I'm not very close to my parents.No trato mucho a mis padres.
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nearby(
nir
-
bay
)
An adverb is a word that describes a verb, an adjective, or other adverbs (e.g., to run quickly, very tired).
adverb
a. cerca
My parents live nearby, so I see them quite often.Mis padres viven cerca, así que los veo a menudo.
An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
adjective
a. cercano
I met my college roommate at a nearby cafe.Me encontré con mi compañero de cuarto de la universidad en un café cercano.
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