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rasgar

ras-GARrasˈɣaɾ

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

to tear

Also: to rip, to slash
VerbB1spelling change ar
A pair of hands pulling a piece of white paper apart, causing a jagged rip down the center.
gerundrasgando
past Participlerasgado
infinitiverasgar

📝 In Action

Ella rasgó la carta en mil pedazos sin leerla.

B1

She tore the letter into a thousand pieces without reading it.

Ten cuidado con ese clavo o vas a rasgar tu camisa.

A2

Be careful with that nail or you're going to rip your shirt.

El gato rasgó las cortinas con sus garras.

B1

The cat ripped the curtains with its claws.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • remendar (to mend/patch)
  • unir (to join)

Common Collocations

  • rasgar la piel – to tear the skin
  • rasgar el papel – to tear the paper

to strum

Also: to pluck
VerbB2spelling change ar
A hand sweeping across the strings of an acoustic guitar in a strumming motion.
gerundrasgando
past Participlerasgado
infinitiverasgar

📝 In Action

El músico empezó a rasgar las cuerdas de su guitarra.

B2

The musician began to strum the strings of his guitar.

Me encanta cómo rasgas el violín.

C1

I love how you pluck the violin.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • rasguear (to strum (more common for technique))
  • tañer (to play/pluck an instrument)

Common Collocations

  • rasgar la guitarra – to strum the guitar
  • rasgar las cuerdas – to pluck/strum the strings

Idioms & Expressions

  • rasgar el aire – to pierce the air (with a sound)

Subjunctive

Imperfect Subjunctive

yorasgara
túrasgaras
él/ella/ustedrasgara
nosotrosrasgáramos
vosotrosrasgarais
ellos/ellas/ustedesrasgaran

Present Subjunctive

yorasgue
túrasgues
él/ella/ustedrasgue
nosotrosrasguemos
vosotrosrasguéis
ellos/ellas/ustedesrasguen

Indicative

Preterite

yorasgué
túrasgaste
él/ella/ustedrasgó
nosotrosrasgamos
vosotrosrasgasteis
ellos/ellas/ustedesrasgaron

Imperfect

yorasgaba
túrasgabas
él/ella/ustedrasgaba
nosotrosrasgábamos
vosotrosrasgabais
ellos/ellas/ustedesrasgaban

Present

yorasgo
túrasgas
él/ella/ustedrasga
nosotrosrasgamos
vosotrosrasgáis
ellos/ellas/ustedesrasgan
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "rasgar" in Spanish:

to pluck→to rip→to slash→to strum→to tear→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: rasgar

Question 1 of 3

Which form of 'rasgar' is correct in the past tense (yo)?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
rasgado(torn / almond-shaped (eyes)) — Adjective
rasgón(a big rip or tear) — Noun
rasgadura(the act of tearing) — Noun
rasgueo(the strumming of a guitar) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'resecare', which meant 'to cut back' or 'to trim'. Over time, it evolved from the idea of cutting to the idea of tearing or ripping through a surface.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: resectPortuguese: rasgar

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'rasgar' the same as 'romper'?

'Romper' is a general word for 'to break' anything. 'Rasgar' is more specific and usually means to tear paper, fabric, or skin.

How do you describe almond-shaped eyes using this word?

You use the related adjective form 'rasgados'. For example: 'Tiene los ojos rasgados' means 'He/She has almond-shaped eyes'.

Is 'rasgar' a common word?

Yes, it's the standard word for tearing something. If you rip your pants on a fence, you would say 'rasgué mis pantalones'.