destruye
des-TROO-yeh
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
El fuego destruye el bosque.
A1The fire destroys the forest.
Ese ruido me destruye la paciencia.
B1That noise is destroying my patience.
¡Destruye ese documento ahora!
A2Destroy that document now!
💡 Grammar Points
The Spelling Change
In this word, the letter 'i' from the base verb (destruir) turns into a 'y' because it sits between two vowels. This keeps the pronunciation strong.
Double Duty
'Destruye' works both as a statement (He destroys) and as a direct command (Destroy!). Context tells you which is which.
❌ Common Pitfalls
The Y vs I trap
Mistake: "destruie"
Correction: destruye; Spanish usually avoids having an 'i' between two vowels in these types of verbs, so we use 'y' instead.
⭐ Usage Tips
Emotional Impact
Use 'destruye' when you want to emphasize that something is completely gone or ruined, not just broken (rompe).
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: destruye
Question 1 of 2
If you want to tell someone to 'Destroy the letter!', which word do you use?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'destruye' mean the same as 'rompe'?
Not exactly. 'Rompe' means to break, but 'destruye' is much stronger—it means to ruin something so completely that it can't be used or fixed.
Why is there a 'y' in 'destruye' if the verb is 'destruir'?
It's a spelling rule! When an 'i' is caught between two vowels in Spanish, it usually changes to a 'y' to make the word easier to pronounce.