romper en pedazos
/rompeɾ en pedaθos/from spelling rules
To rip up in Spanish is romper en pedazos.
Meaning: to destroy by ripping (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb romper (to break/rupture) and the prepositional phrase en pedazos (into pieces).
Which one should you use?
The single verb despedazar can be used as a more concise alternative to romper en pedazos to mean ripping something into many small pieces.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, Rasgar is a popular choice meaning to rip or to tear.
How do you pronounce it?
/rompeɾ en pedaθos/
Did you know?
- While 'rip up' is often used for paper, using rasgar in Spanish might suggest the way a person's eyes or throat 'tears' with emotion or pain.
- The Spanish term despedazar can be used in a culinary context to describe the act of shredding meat, such as making 'pulled' meat for tacos.
- The English word 'rupture' and the Spanish verb romper share the same Latin ancestor, 'rumpere'.
Examples in context
- No deberías romper en pedazos esas cartas.You shouldn't rip up those letters.
- Ella decidió romper en pedazos el contrato viejo.She decided to rip up the old contract.
- Voy a romper en pedazos este dibujo feo.I am going to rip up this ugly drawing.
Example conversation
In a living room, Mateo is cleaning up some old papers.
- María¿Qué haces con esos documentos, Mateo?What are you doing with those documents, Mateo?
- MateoVoy a romper en pedazos todo el papel viejo.I am going to rip up all the old paper.
- MaríaEstá bien, así limpias el escritorio rápido.That is fine, that way you clean the desk quickly.
- MateoSí, es mejor deshacerse de esto.Yes, it is better to get rid of this.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries en, romper, CC BY-SA 4.0.
