deteriorar
“deteriorar” means “to deteriorate” in Spanish (general decline).
to deteriorate, to damage
Also: to impair, to spoil
📝 In Action
El sol puede deteriorar la pintura del coche con el paso del tiempo.
A2The sun can damage the car's paint over time.
Fumar tabaco deteriora gravemente la salud de los pulmones.
B1Smoking tobacco seriously impairs lung health.
La falta de comunicación deterioró nuestra relación de amistad.
B2The lack of communication worsened our friendship.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: deteriorar
Question 1 of 3
If a historic building is slowly falling apart due to old age, which form is most natural?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin verb 'deteriorare', which comes from 'deterior' meaning 'worse'. It shares a root with the idea of moving down or away from a peak state.
First recorded: 15th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'deteriorar' irregular in any tense?
No, it is a completely regular -ar verb. It follows the same patterns as 'hablar' or 'cantar' in every tense.
Can I use 'deteriorar' for people?
You can use it to describe a person's health or their public image, but you wouldn't usually use it to describe their personality unless you mean they are becoming 'morally worse' (though this is very formal).
What is the difference between 'dañar' and 'deteriorar'?
'Dañar' is a general word for damage. 'Deteriorar' implies a gradual process where something loses its quality or value over a period of time.