Apagar-se vs. extinguir-se
Both apagar-se and extinguir-se refer to a light, fire, or device going out or turning off, but they differ primarily in register and scale. The verb apagar-se is the standard, everyday term for regular lights going dark or small fires stopping. On the other hand, extinguir-se is a more formal, often literary word that emphasizes a gradual dying out or the complete, definitive end of a larger fire or light source.
Apagar-se
A2This is the most common, everyday expression used to describe a light, digital screen, candle, or fire turning off or going out. It simply states the functional change from being on or lit to being off or unlit, without any dramatic emphasis.
A luz apagou-se de repente durante a tempestade.
(The light went out suddenly during the storm.)
A vela apagou-se quando deixaste a janela aberta.
(The candle went out when you left the window open.)
O monitor apagou-se depois de dez minutos de inatividade.
(The monitor turned off after ten minutes of inactivity.)
O fogo na lareira acabou por se apagar durante a noite.
(The fire in the fireplace eventually went out during the night.)
O painel de controlo apagou-se devido a uma falha de energia.
(The control panel went out due to a power failure.)
Extinguir-se
B2This is a more formal or technical word meaning to extinguish, die out, or fade away completely. When applied to fire or light, it often implies a gradual process of dying out or the definitive end of something powerful, such as a large-scale fire, a volcano, or a celestial body.
O incêndio florestal extinguiu-se após três dias de chuva intensa.
(The forest fire died out after three days of heavy rain.)
A chama do isqueiro extinguiu-se lentamente por falta de gás.
(The flame of the lighter extinguished slowly due to a lack of gas.)
O brilho daquela estrela distante vai extinguir-se daqui a milhões de anos.
(The brightness of that distant star will die out millions of years from now.)
Com o tempo, a atividade do vulcão acabou por se extinguir.
(Over time, the activity of the volcano eventually died out.)
O fogo na velha fábrica finalmente extinguiu-se na manhã seguinte.
(The fire in the old factory finally extinguished the following morning.)
Summary
In short, choose apagar-se for everyday, mundane situations where a house light, digital screen, or regular fire simply turns off or blows out. Reserve extinguir-se for more formal, dramatic, or large-scale contexts where a fire or light is completely obliterated or gradually naturally dies out.