quebrar Present Conjugation
quebrar — to break
Quebrar is a stem-changing verb in the present tense, changing e to ie in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.
quebrar Present Forms
When to Use the Present
Use the present tense to talk about things currently breaking, habits, or the financial status of a company (going bankrupt).
Notes on quebrar in the Present
This is an e > ie stem-changing verb (boot verb). Note that 'nosotros' (quebramos) and 'vosotros' (quebráis) keep the original 'e'.
Example Sentences
Si doblas el plástico así, se quiebra.
If you bend the plastic like that, it breaks.
él/ella/usted
Yo siempre quiebro las nueces con este martillo.
I always break the walnuts with this hammer.
yo
Muchas empresas quiebran durante las crisis económicas.
Many companies go bankrupt during economic crises.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Nosotros no quebramos las reglas.
We don't break the rules.
nosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using 'quebro' instead of 'quiebro'.
Correct: quiebro
Why: Quebrar is a stem-changing verb; the 'e' must change to 'ie' when stressed.
Mistake: Saying 'quiebramos' for the we-form.
Correct: quebramos
Why: Stem changes never occur in the nosotros or vosotros forms in the present indicative.
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Related Tenses
Preterite
yo: quebré
Quebrar is completely regular in the preterite; it does not have a stem change here.
Imperfect
yo: quebraba
The imperfect of quebrar is regular: quebraba, quebrabas, quebraba, quebrábamos, quebrabais, quebraban.
Future
yo: quebraré
The future tense of quebrar is regular: simply add the endings to the infinitive (quebrar-).
Conditional
yo: quebraría
The conditional of quebrar is regular: quebraría, quebrarías, quebraría, etc.
Present Subjunctive
yo: quiebre
The present subjunctive of quebrar follows the e > ie stem change in the same pattern as the present indicative.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: quebrara
The imperfect subjunctive of quebrar is regular, derived from the third-person plural preterite 'quebraron'.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: quiebra
The imperative of quebrar uses the stem-changed 'quiebra' for tú commands.
Negative Imperative
yo: no quiebres
The negative imperative of quebrar uses the present subjunctive forms preceded by 'no'.