expirar
To come to an end or cease to be valid.
Expirar marks the formal end of validity for documents, contracts, or time-sensitive agreements.
Palavra em 30 segundos
- Refers to the expiration of validity periods.
- Used for documents, contracts, and time limits.
- Indicates that something is no longer legally binding.
Summary
Expirar marks the formal end of validity for documents, contracts, or time-sensitive agreements.
- Refers to the expiration of validity periods.
- Used for documents, contracts, and time limits.
- Indicates that something is no longer legally binding.
Think of expiration dates on food
Just like food has an expiration date, official documents have a date when they stop being useful. Associate the word with your driver's license or credit card.
Avoid using it for people
Do not use this word to talk about someone finishing a task. It sounds like they are dying or their legal validity has ended.
Formal usage in Spanish bureaucracy
In Spanish-speaking countries, administrative offices use this term strictly. If you see 'expira' on a document, act quickly to renew it.
Exemplos
4 de 4Mi tarjeta de crédito expira en diciembre.
My credit card expires in December.
El contrato de alquiler expira mañana.
The lease agreement expires tomorrow.
No olvides renovar tu carnet antes de que expire.
Don't forget to renew your ID before it expires.
El plazo de presentación de la solicitud expira el viernes.
The application deadline expires on Friday.
Família de palavras
Dica de memorização
Think of a 'pirate' (pira) whose time has run out. 'Ex-pira' sounds like the end of the pirate's time.
Overview
El verbo 'expirar' proviene del latín 'expirare'. Aunque en contextos poéticos o médicos puede significar 'morir' o 'exhalar el último aliento', en el lenguaje cotidiano y administrativo (B1), su uso principal se refiere al vencimiento de plazos, documentos o derechos legales.
Usage Patterns
Se conjuga como un verbo regular de la primera conjugación (-ar). Es común utilizarlo en construcciones impersonales o con sujetos inanimados (ej. 'el pasaporte expira'). Es un verbo intransitivo, por lo que no requiere un complemento directo.
Common Contexts
Es omnipresente en el ámbito burocrático y comercial. Lo encontramos en la renovación de licencias de conducir, tarjetas de crédito, contratos de alquiler, membresías de gimnasios o productos alimenticios. También se usa en contextos legales para indicar que un periodo de gracia ha terminado.
Similar Words comparison
A diferencia de 'terminar', que es un término general para cualquier final, 'expirar' implica una consecuencia legal o formal de pérdida de validez. 'Caducar' es su sinónimo más cercano, a menudo intercambiable en contextos de productos o documentos, mientras que 'finalizar' es más neutral y menos técnico.
Notas de uso
Expirar is a formal verb that carries a sense of legal or administrative finality. It is rarely used in casual conversation except when discussing documents. It is a standard term in professional and legal environments.
Erros comuns
Learners often confuse it with 'terminar', which is too broad. Another mistake is using it to mean 'to finish a task', which is incorrect. Remember, only things with a 'validity period' expire.
Dica de memorização
Think of a 'pirate' (pira) whose time has run out. 'Ex-pira' sounds like the end of the pirate's time.
Origem da palavra
Derived from Latin 'expirare', meaning 'to breathe out'. Historically related to the last breath of life, it evolved to represent the end of a legal document's life.
Contexto cultural
In many Spanish-speaking countries, the expiration of official documents like the 'DNI' (National ID) is a major bureaucratic event. People are very aware of these dates to avoid fines.
Exemplos
Mi tarjeta de crédito expira en diciembre.
everydayMy credit card expires in December.
El contrato de alquiler expira mañana.
formalThe lease agreement expires tomorrow.
No olvides renovar tu carnet antes de que expire.
informalDon't forget to renew your ID before it expires.
El plazo de presentación de la solicitud expira el viernes.
academicThe application deadline expires on Friday.
Família de palavras
Colocações comuns
Frases Comuns
fecha de expiración
expiration date
está a punto de expirar
it is about to expire
Frequentemente confundido com
Caducar is more common for food and perishable goods. Expirar is preferred for legal documents and contracts.
Padrões gramaticais
Think of expiration dates on food
Just like food has an expiration date, official documents have a date when they stop being useful. Associate the word with your driver's license or credit card.
Avoid using it for people
Do not use this word to talk about someone finishing a task. It sounds like they are dying or their legal validity has ended.
Formal usage in Spanish bureaucracy
In Spanish-speaking countries, administrative offices use this term strictly. If you see 'expira' on a document, act quickly to renew it.
Teste-se
Completa la oración con la forma correcta.
Mi pasaporte ___ el próximo mes.
El presente de indicativo es el tiempo adecuado para hechos que ocurrirán pronto en el futuro próximo.
Pontuação: /1
Perguntas frequentes
3 perguntasEn la mayoría de los casos, sí. Ambos se usan para documentos y productos, aunque 'caducar' es más común para alimentos y 'expirar' suele sonar un poco más formal o legal.
Sí, pero en un sentido muy formal o literario significa morir. En el habla diaria, es mejor evitarlo con personas para no sonar extraño o excesivamente dramático.
El sustantivo es 'expiración'. Se utiliza para referirse al acto o al momento exacto en que algo deja de ser válido.
Esta palavra em outros idiomas
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