closed, were to close
Estuve intentando arreglar la puerta toda la mañana sin conseguir que cerrara bien del todo.
I spent all morning trying to fix the door without getting it to close properly.
Él llegó a la tienda un minuto antes de que cerrara.
He arrived at the store one minute before it closed.
La profesora le dijo a Mary que cerrara la boca.
The teacher told Mary to shut her mouth.
Fue a la tienda en el último minuto, justo antes de que cerrara.
She went to the store at the last minute, just before it closed.
No me dijeron nada en todo el día para que no cerrara el cine.
They didn't tell me anything all day to keep the cinema open.
— Cinema Paradiso (1988)
Como si dentro del cuerpo, una mano se cerrara suavemente.
As if a hand were gently closing inside the body.
— El cielo sobre Berlín (1987)