Spanish Phrase
Apaga las llamas.
Meaning
Literally, ‘Turn off the flames.’ It is a direct command telling someone to extinguish a fire or stop something that is burning. In a figurative sense it can mean to calm a heated argument or stop a passionate situation.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need to ask someone to put out a literal fire—like on a stove, a campfire, or a candle. It’s also handy in metaphorical contexts, such as telling a friend to calm down during a heated debate.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Apagalasllamas
Imperative (tú)
‘Apaga’ is the affirmative imperative form of the verb ‘apagar’ for the informal second‑person singular (tú).
Definite article
‘las’ is the feminine plural definite article that agrees with the noun ‘llamas’.
Plural noun
‘llamas’ is a feminine plural noun meaning ‘flames’ or ‘fires’.
🗨In Conversation
¡Cuidado! El aceite está empezando a arder.
Watch out! The oil is starting to burn.
Apaga las llamas antes de que se salga de control.
Turn off the flames before it gets out of control.
✕Common Mistakes
Apagar las llamas.
‘Apagar’ is the infinitive; you need the imperative ‘Apaga’ for a command.
Apaga la llama.
The noun is plural, so the article must be plural ‘las’, not singular ‘la’.
Apaga el llamas.
‘Llamas’ is feminine plural; the article must match in gender and number.
↔Alternatives
Apaga el fuego.
Turn off the fire.
Extingue las llamas.
Extinguish the flames.
Sopla las llamas.
Blow out the flames.
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking households, fire safety is taught early, and commands like ‘Apaga las llamas’ are common in kitchens and outdoor cooking. The phrase can also be used figuratively in politics or sports to describe calming a heated situation, so be aware of the context before using it metaphorically.