explotó
“explotó” means “exploded” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
exploded, blew up
Also: went off
📝 In Action
El viejo motor explotó por el sobrecalentamiento.
A2The old engine exploded due to overheating.
Cuando cayó el rayo, la torre de electricidad explotó con un gran ruido.
B1When the lightning struck, the electricity tower blew up with a loud noise.
burst out, snapped
Also: blew up
📝 In Action
Ella explotó de rabia cuando escuchó la noticia.
B1She burst out in anger when she heard the news.
El jefe explotó en la reunión porque nadie terminó el trabajo.
B2The boss snapped (lost it) in the meeting because no one finished the work.
exploited, took advantage of
Also: profited from
📝 In Action
El dueño de la fábrica explotó a sus trabajadores por años.
B2The factory owner exploited his workers for years.
El equipo explotó la debilidad del oponente para ganar el partido.
C1The team exploited the opponent's weakness to win the match.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
imperfect
present
preterite
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "explotó" in Spanish:
blew up→burst out→exploded→exploited→profited from→snapped→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: explotó
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'explotó' in the sense of taking unfair economic advantage?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb *explodere*, which originally meant 'to drive out by clapping' or 'to reject.' It later evolved in Spanish, first taking the meaning of 'to burst forth' (like applause) and eventually developing the modern senses of physical explosion and economic exploitation.
First recorded: 15th century (with the sense of rejection/bursting)
Cognates (Related words)
💡 Master Spanish
Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!
Frequently Asked Questions
What tense is 'explotó'?
'Explotó' is the preterite tense, which is the simple past tense. It means 'he, she, or it exploded/exploited' and describes an action that was completed quickly and entirely in the past.
¿Cómo se dice 'He blew up at me' (got angry) en español?
You would typically say 'Él explotó conmigo' or 'Él se enfadó mucho conmigo.' The verb 'explotar' is perfect for describing that sudden loss of temper.