Destruir is a powerful Spanish verb meaning to destroy. It is used when discussing acts of destruction or demolition, whether physical, emotional, or metaphorical. While destruir mostly follows the regular pattern of -ir verbs, it is also a stem-changing verb with a distinctive spelling change to maintain pronunciation in certain forms.
- Meaning: to destroy, to ruin, to demolish
- Usage: Describing physical destruction, damage, or things being ruined; can be used literally or figuratively
- Verb type: Regular -ir verb with a u → uy stem change in some forms
*destruir* means "to destroy."
'destruir' is used for contexts involving destruction, both literal and metaphorical.
'destruir' is not fully regular because it has a stem change (u→uy) in some forms.
'destruir' is an -ir verb.
Conjugation Highlights
Because destruir has both regular -ir endings and an important stem/spelling change, its conjugation stands out in certain moods and tenses.
| Tense | Example | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Infinitive | destruir | Base form |
| Present | yo destruyo | "u" → "uy" in all forms except nosotros/vosotros |
| Past (Preterite) | destruyó | "u" → "uy" in él/ella/usted and ellos/ellas/ustedes |
| Present Participle | destruyendo | Regular pattern |
- In the present: destruyo, destruyes, destruye, destruimos, destruís, destruyen
- In the preterite: destruí, destruiste, destruyó, destruimos, destruisteis, destruyeron
'destruir' undergoes a u → uy stem change in certain forms.
The correct forms are destruyo, destruyes, destruye, destruimos, destruís, destruyen.
The u→uy change happens in the third person singular and plural (destruyó, destruyeron).
Full Conjugation: Destruir
Present Indicative (Presente)
| Subject | Form | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | destruyo | Stem changes u→uy |
| tú | destruyes | Stem changes u→uy |
| él/ella/Ud. | destruye | Stem changes u→uy |
| nosotros/as | destruimos | Regular stem and ending |
| vosotros/as | destruís | Regular stem and ending |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | destruyen | Stem changes u→uy |
Preterite (Pretérito)
| Subject | Form | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | destruí | Regular -ir ending, no stem change |
| tú | destruiste | Regular |
| él/ella/Ud. | destruyó | Spelling change: u→uy + accent |
| nosotros/as | destruimos | Regular |
| vosotros/as | destruisteis | Regular |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | destruyeron | Stem change u→uy |
Imperfect (Imperfecto)
| Subject | Form | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | destruía | Regular -ir/-er imperfect |
| tú | destruías | Regular |
| él/ella/Ud. | destruía | Regular |
| nosotros/as | destruíamos | Regular |
| vosotros/as | destruíais | Regular |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | destruían | Regular |
Future (Futuro)
| Subject | Form | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | destruiré | Regular -ir future ending added |
| tú | destruirás | Regular |
| él/ella/Ud. | destruirá | Regular |
| nosotros/as | destruiremos | Regular |
| vosotros/as | destruiréis | Regular |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | destruirán | Regular |
Conditional (Condicional)
| Subject | Form | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | destruiría | Same stem as future + conditional ending |
| tú | destruirías | |
| él/ella/Ud. | destruiría | |
| nosotros/as | destruiríamos | |
| vosotros/as | destruiríais | |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | destruirían |
Present Subjunctive (Presente de Subjuntivo)
| Subject | Form | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | destruya | "u→uy" stem; endings: -a, -as... |
| tú | destruyas | |
| él/ella/Ud. | destruya | |
| nosotros/as | destruyamos | |
| vosotros/as | destruyáis | |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | destruyan |
Imperative (Imperativo)
| Form | Verb | Note |
|---|---|---|
| tú | destruye | Affirmative; stem change applies |
| (no) tú | (no) destruyas | Negative uses subjunctive form |
| usted | destruya | Formal |
| nosotros | destruyamos | Let's destroy |
| vosotros | destruid | Regular imperative form |
| ustedes | destruyan | Plural formal |
Participle
| Form | Verb | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Present | destruyendo | Gerund (used with estar...) |
| Past (Participle) | destruido | Used as adjective or with haber |
The infinitive is 'destruir.'
The endings are -o, -es, -e, -imos, -ís, -en for -ir verbs.
The 'uy' change is in present (except nosotros/vosotros) and preterite (3rd person).
Usage and Examples
Destruir is used whenever something is being destroyed or ruined. It can be applied to buildings, objects, relationships, plans, or even abstract concepts.
- Use destruir for both physical and metaphorical destruction.
- Common subjects include things like "walls," "dreams," "trust," or "machines."
- Make sure to apply the correct stem changes for present/preterite forms.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| El terremoto destruyó la ciudad. | The earthquake destroyed the city. |
| No destruyas mis documentos. | Don’t destroy my documents. |
| Ellos destruyen todo a su paso. | They destroy everything in their path. |
| ¿Quién destruirá ese puente? | Who will destroy that bridge? |
| La mala comunicación destruyó su relación. | Poor communication destroyed their relationship. |
Yes, 'destruir' can be used for both literal and metaphorical destruction.
'destruir' is appropriate for destroying buildings, trust, or documents.
They destroyed the bridge = Destruyeron el puente.
Typical subjects include edificios, relaciones, planes, confianza.
Conclusion
Destruir is a vital Spanish verb for expressing destruction in both concrete and abstract contexts. Its unique u → uy stem change sets it apart from regular -ir verbs, so mastering this pattern is key.
- Meaning: to destroy; used for physical and metaphorical destruction
- Verb type: Regular -ir verb with a special stem/spelling change (u→uy)
- Key point: Use destruir when talking about anything being ruined, broken down, or wiped out
'destruir' means 'to destroy.'
'destruir' is an -ir verb.
'destruir' changes u → uy in certain forms.
The u→uy change appears in the present and preterite.
The correct form is 'destruyen.'
'Destruyeron el puente' means 'They destroyed the bridge.'