Spanish Phrase
Aléjate de las puertas que se cierran.
Meaning
Literally, ‘Stay away from the doors that close.’ Figuratively, it’s a warning to avoid situations, people or opportunities that are likely to shut down or end abruptly.
When to use
Use this phrase when giving advice or a warning—e.g., in a conversation about a volatile job, a toxic relationship, or any circumstance that repeatedly ends without warning.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Aléjatedelaspuertasquesecierran
Aléjate (imperative reflexive)
‘Aléjate’ is the affirmative tú‑imperative of the reflexive verb *alejarse*. The reflexive pronoun *te* is attached to the end of the verb and the accent marks the stressed syllable.
de (preposition)
The preposition *de* introduces the thing you should stay away from. In this construction it means ‘from’.
las puertas (definite article + noun)
The plural definite article *las* signals that we are talking about specific doors, not doors in general.
que (relative pronoun)
*Que* links the noun *puertas* with the relative clause that follows.
se cierran (reflexive verb in present)
*Se cierran* is the third‑person plural present of *cerrar* with the reflexive pronoun *se*, indicating that the doors close by themselves (a common way to express intransitive ‘to close’).
🗨In Conversation
Aléjate de las puertas que se cierran.
Stay away from doors that close.
¿Te refieres a esa empresa que está despidiendo gente?
Do you mean that company that’s laying people off?
✕Common Mistakes
Aléjate a las puertas que se cierran.
The preposition after *aléjate* is *de*, not *a*.
Aléjate de la puerta que se cierran.
The noun must agree in number with the verb *cierran*.
Aléjate de las puertas que cierran.
When the verb is used without the reflexive pronoun, it sounds unnatural; keep *se*.
↔Alternatives
Mantente alejado de las puertas que se cierran.
Keep yourself away from doors that close.
No te acerques a las puertas que se cierran.
Don’t get close to doors that close.
Evita las puertas que se cierran.
Avoid doors that close.
Cultural Tip
In Spanish, the accent in *aléjate* is essential; without it the stress would fall on the wrong syllable (alejáte). The phrase can be used both literally—telling someone to stay clear of a closing door—and metaphorically, a common idiom in many Spanish‑speaking cultures to caution against fleeting opportunities.