estrellar

es-tre-YAR/estɾeˈʎaɾ/

“estrellar” means “to smash” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

to smash🔊B1Verb

to break something by hitting it against a surface

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to fry (eggs)🔊A2Verb

cooking eggs so the yolk stays intact

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to smash, to crash

Also: to fail

VerbB1regular ar

General

A colorful ceramic plate shattered into many pieces on a wooden floor.

gerundestrellando

past Participleestrellado

infinitiveestrellar

📝 In Action

El niño estrelló su juguete contra el suelo.

The boy smashed his toy against the floor.

Perdí el control y estrellé el coche contra un árbol.

I lost control and crashed the car into a tree.

Su nueva empresa se estrelló en el primer año.

His new company crashed and burned in the first year.

Word Connections

Synonyms

chocar (to crash/collide)
romper (to break)

Antonyms

esquivar (to dodge)
triunfar (to triumph)

Common Collocations

estrellar el coche – to crash the car
estrellarse contra la realidad – to have a reality check

Idioms & Expressions

ver las estrellas – to feel sharp pain (literally seeing stars after a hit)

to fry (eggs)

VerbA2regular ar

MexicoSpain

Two sunny-side-up eggs frying in a blue pan with bright yellow yolks.

📝 In Action

Me gusta desayunar huevos estrellados.

I like to have fried eggs for breakfast.

Voy a estrellar dos huevos en la sartén.

I'm going to fry two eggs in the pan.

¿Prefieres los huevos revueltos o estrellados?

Do you prefer scrambled or fried eggs?

Word Connections

Synonyms

freír (to fry)

Common Collocations

huevos estrellados – fried eggs (sunny-side up style)

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesestrellaran

yoestrellara

túestrellaras

vosotrosestrellarais

nosotrosestrelláramos

él/ella/ustedestrellara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesestrellen

yoestrellé

túestrelles

vosotrosestrelléis

nosotrosestrellemos

él/ella/ustedestrellé

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesestrellaron

yoestrellé

túestrellaste

vosotrosestrellasteis

nosotrosestrellamos

él/ella/ustedestrelló

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesestrellaban

yoestrellaba

túestrellabas

vosotrosestrellabais

nosotrosestrellábamos

él/ella/ustedestrellaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesestrellan

yoestrelló

túestrellas

vosotrosestrelláis

nosotrosestrellamos

él/ella/ustedestrella

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Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "estrellar" in Spanish:

to crash→to fail→to smash→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: estrellar

Question 1 of 3

If you hit a glass against the wall and it breaks, you _____ it.

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼

estrella(star) — Noun

estrellado(starry / smashed / fried (egg)) — Adjective

estrellato(stardom) — Noun

🎵 Rhymes▼

brillar llorar llegar

📚 Etymology▼

From the Spanish word 'estrella' (star). It originally referred to things that were marked with a star shape or shattered into star-like pieces.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: stellare

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'estrellar' different from 'chocar'?

Yes. 'Chocar' is a general word for colliding. 'Estrellar' implies a more violent or destructive impact, often where something shatters.

Can I use 'estrellar' for a plane crash?

Yes, it is the most common word for plane crashes ('un avión se estrelló').

Does it mean 'to see stars'?

Not literally, but the idiom 'ver las estrellas' uses the root word to describe the feeling of intense pain after a blow.