How to Say "to bend" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to bend” is “doblar” — use 'doblar' when you are folding items like clothes or paper, or physically bending solid objects like metal or body parts..
doblar
/doh-BLAHR//doˈblaɾ/
Examples
Tengo que doblar la ropa limpia.
I have to fold the clean clothes.
No dobles la esquina de la página.
Don't fold the corner of the page.
Él puede doblar una barra de hierro con sus manos.
He can bend an iron bar with his hands.
Using it with 'la ropa'
Unlike English where you 'do the laundry,' in Spanish you specifically use 'doblar' when you want to describe the action of folding it up after it's dry.
Reflexive vs. Non-Reflexive
Use 'doblar' for something you fold, and 'doblarse' when something bends on its own or is flexible, like 'El plástico se dobla' (The plastic bends).
Folding vs. Closing
Mistake: “No dobles el libro.”
Correction: No cierres el libro (unless you are literally folding the pages).
torcer
/tor-SEHR//torˈθer/
Examples
Ten cuidado de no torcer el cable de la lámpara.
Be careful not to twist the lamp's cable.
Él torció la boca con gesto de disgusto.
He twisted his mouth with a look of disgust.
El viento torció las ramas del árbol.
The wind bent the branches of the tree.
The Spelling Change Rule
When the 'c' in torcer meets an 'a' or an 'o' (like in 'yo tuerzo'), it changes to a 'z' to keep that soft 's' sound. Otherwise, it would sound like a hard 'k'!
The Stem Change
This is a 'boot verb.' The 'o' changes to 'ue' in all present forms except 'nosotros' and 'vosotros'.
The 'Yo' Form Error
Mistake: “Yo tuerco”
Correction: Yo tuerzo. Remember to change the 'c' to 'z' to keep the sound consistent with the infinitive.
Doblar vs. Torcer
Related Translations
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