How to Say "breakdown" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “breakdown” is “colapso” — use 'colapso' when referring to a complete failure or stoppage of a system, process, or organization, like traffic or a computer system..
colapso
/ko-LAP-so//koˈlapso/
Examples
El sistema de metro sufrió un colapso debido a la sobrecarga.
The subway system suffered a breakdown due to overload.
Hubo un colapso total del tráfico en el centro.
There was a total traffic jam in the center.
El sistema de salud está al borde del colapso.
The healthcare system is on the verge of collapse.
La burbuja inmobiliaria provocó un colapso económico.
The housing bubble caused an economic crash.
Always Masculine
This word is always masculine. You should always use 'el' or 'un' with it, regardless of what is collapsing.
Don't confuse with the verb
Mistake: “El tráfico colapso.”
Correction: El tráfico colapsó (verb) or Hubo un colapso (noun).
crisis
KREE-sis/ˈkɾi.sis/
Examples
Tuvo una crisis nerviosa después de recibir la noticia.
She had a nervous breakdown after receiving the news.
El país está atravesando una crisis económica muy profunda.
The country is going through a very deep economic crisis.
Mi hermana tuvo una crisis de ansiedad antes de su examen.
My sister had an anxiety attack (crisis) before her exam.
Necesitamos nuevas ideas para salir de esta crisis.
We need new ideas to get out of this crisis.
Gender Rule
Even though 'crisis' ends in '-s', it is a feminine noun, so you must always use 'la' or 'una' before it.
Plural Form Error
Mistake: “Las crisises”
Correction: Las crisis. This noun is special because the plural form is exactly the same as the singular. Only the article ('la' or 'las') changes.
System Failure vs. Personal Difficulty
Related Translations
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