derrumbar
derrumbarse(
deh
-
rroom
-
bahr
-
seh
)A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g. Te ves cansado.).
1. (to subside)
a. to collapse (building)
Muchos edificios se derrumbaron durante el terremoto.Many buildings collapsed during the earthquake.
b. to fall in (roof or ceiling)
Si no reparan el techo, podría derrumbarse.If the ceiling isn't repaired, it could fall in.
c. to cave in (roof or ceiling)
En ese instante preciso, el tejado se derrumbó sobre nuestras cabezas.At that precise moment, the roof caved in on our heads.
2. (to dive)
3. (to be overcome by shock or grief)
a. to go to pieces
Me derrumbé cuando me diagnosticaron el cáncer; pero luego logré superarlo.I went to pieces when I was diagnosed with cancer; but then I overcame it.
b. to break down
En el interrogatorio se derrumbó y confesó.During the questioning, he broke down and confessed.
4. (to dispel)
a. to collapse (hopes or illusions)
Cuando les negaron asilo político, se derrumbaron sus esperanzas de una vida mejor.Their hopes of a better life collapsed when they were denied political asylum.
b. to be shattered (hopes or illusions)
Las ilusiones se derrumban cuando entran en conflicto con la realidad.Ilusions are shattered when they clash with reality.
c. to fall apart (dreams)
Nuestros sueños se derrumbaron en un instante.Our dreams fell apart in an instant.
5. (finance)
a. to tumble
El jueves los precios se derrumbaron a mínimos históricos.Prices tumbled to historic lows on Thursday.
derrumbar
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g. I bought a book.).
6. (to bring down)
a. to demolish
Mañana van a derrumbar ese edificio que está en ruinas.That building that is in ruins will be demolished tomorrow.
c. to pull down
Derrumbaron el viejo hotel para construir una urbanización.They pulled down the old hotel to build a housing development.
d. to tear down
Ese día, miles de ciudadanos alemanes comenzaron a derrumbar el Muro de Berlín.That day, thousands of German citizens started tearing down the Berlin Wall.
7. (to throw)
a. to fling down
Al parecer, derrumbaban a los prisioneros desde lo alto del acantilado.It seems they flung their prisoners down from the top of the cliff.
8. (politics)
a. to overthrow (a regime)
La revolución acabó por derrumbar la dictadura.The revolution ended up overthrowing the dictatorship.
9. (to depress)
a. to devastate
La muerte de su mejor amigo lo derrumbó.The death of his best friend devastated him.
derrumbar
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g. I bought a book.).
1. (puente, edificio)
a. to demolish
2. (moralmente)
a. to destroy, to devastate
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g. Te ves cansado.).
3. (puente, edificio)
a. to collapse
4. (techo)
a. to fall in, to cave in
se derrumbó extenuado sobre la camahe collapsed on the bed exhausted
5. (persona)
a. to be devastated
6. (esperanzas)
a. to be shattered
en la segunda parte el equipo se derrumbóthe team went to pieces in the second half
Collins Complete Spanish Electronic Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
Word Roots
Hover on a tile to learn new words with the same root.
Loading roots
Examples
Verb Conjugations for derrumbar
| Present | Preterite | Imperfect | Conditional | Future | |
| yo | |||||
| tú | |||||
| él/ella/Ud. | |||||
| nosotros | |||||
| vosotros | |||||
| ellos/ellas/Uds. |
Explore SpanishDict
We've combined the most accurate English to Spanish translations, dictionary, verb conjugations, and Spanish to English translators into one very powerful search box.
Learn Spanish with Fluencia
Try Fluencia, the new Spanish learning program from SpanishDict.
- Fun and interactive
- Highly effective
- Easy to use
- Works on any device
Did this page answer your question?
