Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| partir | /paɾˈtiɾ/ |
| escindir | /esθinˈdiɾ/ /esinˈdiɾ/ |
| hender | /enˈdeɾ/ |
| hendir | /enˈdiɾ/ |
The verb describes the action of dividing something along a line. While partir is the versatile, everyday term, other words exist depending on the specific way something is being divided or the context of the split.
Which one should you use?
partir is the most common and versatile way to say 'to split' or 'to divide' in everyday Spanish. escindir is a formal term used primarily in legal, political or technical contexts, such as the splitting of a political party or a company. hendir is a more literary or poetic term, often used to describe splitting something with a sharp object, like a blade or a ship's prow through water. fraccionar is a formal verb that emphasizes dividing something into fractions or smaller parts.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective partido means 'divided', while hendido means 'divided'. In a technical context, the adjective escindido can refer to a 'short exact sequence'.
How do you pronounce it?
/paɾˈtiɾ/
Did you know?
- The word partir is used in the common phrase partir el bacalao, which literally means 'to split the cod' but actually means to be the boss.
- The English word 'party' and the Spanish verb partir share a common ancestor, meaning they both trace back to the idea of dividing or distributing things.
- While partir means 'to split' in the context of dividing, it is also the most common Spanish verb used to say 'to leave' or 'to depart'.
Examples in context
- Vamos a dividir el trabajo en partes igualesWe are going to split the work into equal parts
- Voy a separar los libros por géneroI'm going to split the books by genre
- El científico desea fraccionar la sustancia para su análisisThe scientist wants to split the substance for analysis
- Vamos a partir el pastel en porciones igualesLet's split the cake into equal portions
- Troceemos la tarea en partes más pequeñasLet's split the task into smaller parts
- Vamos a repartir la pizzaLet's split the pizza
- Tienes que partir la sandía por la mitad.You have to split the watermelon in half.
- Él utilizó un cuchillo para partir la madera.He used a knife to split the wood.
Example conversation
María and Javier are preparing food in the kitchen.
- María¿Puedes partir el coco, Javier?Can you split the coconut, Javier?
- JavierSí, buscaré un cuchillo grande para partirlo.Yes, I will look for a large knife to split it.
- MaríaTen cuidado al partirlo para no cortarte.Be careful when splitting it so you don't cut yourself.
- JavierNo te preocupes, lo partiré con cuidado.Don't worry, I will split it carefully.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “split” translations and entries partir, escindir, hender, hendir, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries escindir, hender, hendir, partir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
