él terminó conmigo
/el teɾmino kommiɡo/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'he broke up with me' is translated into Spanish as él terminó conmigo.
This phrase is used when a male partner ends a romantic relationship with the speaker. While terminar conmigo is a standard way to express a breakup, it can also be used more broadly to mean 'he finished [the conversation/task] with me' depending on the context.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase él terminó conmigo literally translates to 'he finished with me'.
Which one should you use?
While él terminó conmigo is a standard expression for a breakup, other forms change the tone or nuance. For example, Él me dejó means 'He left me' and Él me largó means 'He dumped me'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, the phrase me botó can be used to mean 'he dumped me'.
How do you pronounce it?
/el teɾmino kommiɡo/
Did you know?
- If a partner breaks up with you by simply not showing up to a scheduled date, you can say me dejó plantado. This carries the specific connotation of being 'left planted' or abandoned at a location.
- The word conmigo is a linguistic fossil that combines two Latin words, cum and mecum, which literally meant 'with me with'.
- While él terminó conmigo is standard, you can say terminamos to describe the breakup. This allows you to avoid blaming one person by simply saying 'we finished'.
Examples in context
- Él terminó nuestra relación después de cinco añosHe ended our relationship after five years
- Estoy muy triste porque él terminó conmigo ayer.I am very sad because he broke up with me yesterday.
- Él terminó conmigo por mensaje de texto.He broke up with me via text message.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking at a cafe.
- Alejandro¿Cómo estás, Elena?How are you, Elena?
- ElenaMal, porque él terminó conmigo.Bad, because he broke up with me.
- AlejandroLo siento mucho, Elena.I am very sorry, Elena.
- ElenaGracias, Alejandro.Thanks, Alejandro.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries conmigo, él, CC BY-SA 4.0.
