romper con alguien
/rompeɾ kon alɡjen/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'break up with someone' is translated into Spanish as romper con alguien.
This phrase is used to describe the act of ending a romantic relationship with a partner.
Which one should you use?
While romper con alguien is the direct translation for breaking up with someone, you may also encounter the alternative terminar con alguien, which means 'to end things with someone'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase romper con alguien requires the preposition con to indicate the specific person with whom the relationship is being ended.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying romper a alguien, which is a common error for English speakers. Using a instead of con changes the meaning to 'to break someone' in a literal, physical sense, such as breaking a person's bones.
Did you know?
- While romper means 'to break', the word is also used to describe the sound of a sudden burst of laughter or a loud noise, such as romper en carcajadas for 'bursting into laughter'.
- While romper con alguien is common, you might hear people use the verb cortar to mean 'to cut ties' with a partner.
- The verb romper is a linguistic cousin to the English word 'rupture', both descending from the Latin 'rumpere'.
Examples in context
- Ella rompió con su novio.She broke up with her boyfriend.
- Ella decidió romper con alguien que no la valoraba.She decided to break up with someone who did not value her.
- ¿Es difícil romper con alguien después de años?Is it difficult to break up with someone after years?
Example conversation
María and Alejandro are talking about a mutual friend's sadness.
- MaríaJuan está muy triste ahora mismo.Juan is very sad right now.
- AlejandroSí, tuvo que romper con alguien hace poco.Yes, he had to break up with someone recently.
- MaríaLo siento mucho por él.I feel very sorry for him.
- AlejandroEs mejor así para los dos.It is better this way for both of them.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries alguien, con, romper, CC BY-SA 4.0.
