schließt

Schließt is the third-person singular present indicative form of the German verb schließen, meaning to close, shut, or to conclude. The basic sense is to bring something to an end by closing its opening, or to bring an activity or process to an end.

Conjugation and forms: In the present tense, the forms are ich schließe, du schließt, er/sie/es schließt, wir schließen, ihr schließt, sie schließen. The form schließt specifically appears with he/she/it as the subject. The perfect (as with most German verbs) uses haben: er hat geschlossen. The simple past (Präteritum) forms include ich schloss, du schlossest, er/sie/es schloss, wir schlossen, ihr schlosst, sie/Sie schlossen. The past participle is geschlossen. The verb also has imperative forms: Schließe! (singular), Schließt! (plural), Schließen Sie! (formal).

Usage and meanings: Schließen covers physical closure (eine Tür schließen, ein Fenster schließen), as well as more abstract closures such as closing a contract (einen Vertrag schließen), closing a shop for the day (Der Laden schließt um 18 Uhr), or concluding a discussion or a session. It contrasts with zumachen, which often emphasizes the action of closing rather than the result, and with abschließen, which can mean to complete or to lock/protect.

Etymology and related forms: schließen belongs to the Germanic family of verbs and has cognates in related languages. The noun Schluss, meaning end or conclusion, shares the same root and appears in expressions like der Schluss sowie im verbalen pair abschließen, meaning to complete or to finalize.

See also: Schluss, abschließen, zumachen. Examples: Die Tür schließt leise. Der Laden schließt bald. Wir müssen den Vertrag schließen.