BREAK vs. TEAR OR RIP

Good morning / afternoon / evening everyone, depending on when you are reading this lesson. Welcome back to the Daily Vitamin. 

In Spanish the verb romper can be translated into English as break or rip/tear. Do you know what the difference is?

English has two verbs for the action of making something separate into two or more pieces.

BREAK: to make something separate into two or more pieces, for example by hitting or dropping it. This verb is used with hard things (glass, bones, etc.)

TEAR or RIP: to pull on something so that it separates into pieces. This verb is used with paper, cloth (a shirt, curtains, etc.)

Example 1: My five-year old son constantly breaks his toys. Yesterday he broke his new toy car.

Example 2: His trousers tore when he bent over to pick up the pen that he had dropped.

Example 3: The curtains are so old that they ripped when I was opening them this morning.

You cannot break your socks or rip or tear a window. A window breaks and socks rip or tear.

NOTE: Today's verb tear (rhymes with "air") should not be confused with the noun tear (rhymes with "ear"), which means lágrima. Tear (rhymes with "air") and tear (rhymes with "ear") are heteronyms. They are spelled the same, but they have different pronunciations and different meanings.

⇒ To get some more writing practice, I encourage you to write a sentence with each of today's words: TEAR, RIP and BREAK. You can post your sentences on one of our social media sites (Facebook or Bluesky) and we will give you feedback about your writing ASAP.

Enjoy the rest of your day. We'll be back tomorrow with the last lesson of the week. 

All the best!