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A2 verb #7,000 most common 11 min read

triturar

Top 7,000

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips triturar in 30 Seconds

Explanation triturar in your Level:

At the A1 level, you should focus on the most basic physical use of triturar. Think of it as 'to crush' or 'to grind' in very simple everyday situations. You might encounter it when talking about food preparation or basic household chores. At this stage, you only need to know the present tense forms: yo trituro (I crush), tú trituras (you crush), and él/ella tritura (he/she crushes). A common sentence might be 'Yo trituro el hielo' (I crush the ice). You don't need to worry about complex industrial meanings yet. Just remember that it involves making something big into many small pieces. It is often used with 'la licuadora' (the blender) or 'el mortero' (the mortar). If you are in a kitchen and someone says 'Tritura las galletas,' they want you to break the cookies into crumbs for a dessert. It is a very practical verb for following simple instructions. Try to associate the word with the sound of something crunchy being broken. This will help you remember the meaning. Even at A1, knowing this word helps you understand basic recipes and kitchen actions that are more specific than just 'cooking' (cocinar).

At the A2 level, you begin to use triturar in more varied contexts and with different tenses. You should be able to use it in the past tense (pretérito indefinido) to describe what you did: 'Ayer trituré los papeles importantes' (Yesterday I shredded the important papers). You will also encounter it in the imperative mood, which is very common for giving or following directions. For example, 'Triture la verdura para la sopa' (Grind/Puree the vegetables for the soup). You should also learn the noun trituradora, which refers to the machine that does the crushing, like a paper shredder or a food processor. At this level, you start to see the difference between triturar and other verbs like cortar (to cut). While cortar produces distinct slices, triturar produces a more uniform mass of small bits. You might also see it in descriptions of how things are made, like 'piedra triturada' (crushed stone) for a garden path. Understanding this word helps you navigate more complex instructions in manuals or recipes and allows you to describe physical processes more accurately in your daily life.

At the B1 level, your use of triturar becomes more nuanced and you can use it in more complex grammatical structures. You should be comfortable using it in the subjunctive mood, which is often needed after expressions of desire or necessity: 'Es necesario que trituremos el material antes de procesarlo' (It is necessary that we crush the material before processing it). You will also see it used in the passive voice or with the impersonal 'se', which is common in technical or formal descriptions: 'Se trituran las uvas para extraer el zumo' (The grapes are crushed to extract the juice). At this level, you should also be aware of the figurative uses, although they are less common. For instance, in sports journalism, you might read 'El equipo trituró a su rival' (The team crushed/shredded their rival), meaning they won by a huge margin. You can also use it to discuss environmental issues, such as 'triturar plásticos para el reciclaje' (shredding plastics for recycling). Your vocabulary should now include related words like trituración (the process of crushing). This level requires you to understand not just the action, but the context and the result of the action in professional or social discussions.

At the B2 level, you should have a command of triturar in a wide range of formal and informal settings. You can use it to describe detailed processes in science, industry, or the arts. For example, you might explain how pigments are triturados to make paint or how ores are triturados in mining operations. You should be able to discuss the efficiency of different trituradoras and use the word in hypothetical situations using the conditional tense: 'Si tuviéramos una máquina más potente, podríamos triturar el metal' (If we had a more powerful machine, we could crush the metal). You will also recognize the word in more academic or journalistic texts where precision is key. You might encounter it in discussions about data security and the legal requirement to triturar sensitive information. At B2, you should also be able to distinguish triturar from more specific synonyms like pulverizar (to pulverize) or desintegrar (to disintegrate) in a technical debate. Your ability to use the word correctly in various moods and voices reflects a higher level of linguistic flexibility and a deeper understanding of Spanish technical vocabulary.

At the C1 level, you use triturar with the precision of a native speaker, often in specialized or highly formal contexts. You might use it in a legal context regarding the destruction of evidence or in a biological context describing the masticatory processes of different species. You understand the subtle connotations the word carries—for example, the mechanical, almost ruthless nature of triturar compared to the more artisanal feel of moler. You can use it in complex metaphorical ways to describe the 'shredding' of a reputation or the 'crushing' weight of a bureaucracy: 'La burocracia terminó por triturar sus esperanzas' (The bureaucracy ended up crushing his hopes). Your understanding of the word's etymology (from the Latin 'triturare') adds depth to your usage. You are also capable of using it in literary descriptions to create specific imagery, such as the sound of gravel being triturada under a car's tires to set a scene's mood. At this level, the word is no longer just a kitchen verb; it is a tool for precise expression in professional, academic, and creative writing, allowing for a high degree of descriptive accuracy.

At the C2 level, your mastery of triturar is complete. You can use it in all its forms, from the most technical industrial descriptions to the most subtle literary metaphors. You might use it in a philosophical discussion about the 'trituración' of traditional values in the modern world or in a highly specialized engineering report about the mechanical stress required to triturar specific alloys. You are aware of regional variations in usage and can adapt your speech accordingly. You can play with the word's sounds and meanings in poetry or advanced rhetoric. You understand how triturar fits into the broader system of Spanish verbs of destruction and transformation, and you can choose it over others to achieve a very specific effect or register. Your usage is indistinguishable from that of an educated native speaker, and you can even explain the nuances of the word to others, including its historical development and its role in various professional jargons. Whether you are analyzing a text or participating in a high-level professional meeting, triturar is a part of your active, sophisticated vocabulary.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

triturar in 30 Seconds

Triturar is a regular Spanish verb meaning to crush, grind, or shred something into small fragments or powder, commonly used in cooking and industry.
It is frequently associated with tools like blenders (licuadoras), mortars (morteros), and paper shredders (trituradoras), emphasizing mechanical or forceful physical breakdown.
While similar to 'moler' (grind to powder) and 'machacar' (pound), 'triturar' is a broader term for reducing the size of solid materials.
At the A2 level, it's essential for following kitchen recipes, office instructions, and describing basic physical transformations of matter in daily life.

The Spanish verb triturar is a precise and versatile term that primarily describes the physical action of breaking something down into significantly smaller pieces, particles, or a fine powder through the application of pressure, grinding, or cutting. While English speakers might use a variety of words like 'crush,' 'grind,' 'shred,' or 'mince' depending on the specific context, Spanish often employs triturar as a sophisticated catch-all for these mechanical processes. It is a regular '-ar' verb, making it relatively straightforward for students at the A2 level to conjugate and integrate into their daily vocabulary. The core essence of the word lies in the transformation of a solid object into a fragmented state, usually for the purpose of preparation, disposal, or extraction.

Culinary Context: In the kitchen, triturar is used when a recipe calls for ingredients to be processed until they lose their original shape. This applies to grinding coffee beans, crushing garlic into a paste, or using a food processor to turn biscuits into a base for a cheesecake. It implies a more thorough breakdown than simply 'cutting' (cortar) or 'chopping' (picar).

Para hacer esta salsa, primero debes triturar los tomates y las cebollas en la licuadora.

Industrial and Office Use: Beyond the kitchen, the word is essential in professional environments. A 'paper shredder' is known as a trituradora de papel. In construction or mining, massive machines trituran stones and minerals to create gravel or cement. The word conveys a sense of power and mechanical force being applied to resistant materials.

Furthermore, triturar can be found in biological contexts. For instance, the first step of digestion involves our teeth triturando the food we eat. This mechanical digestion is crucial for subsequent chemical processes. In a more figurative, though less common sense, it can occasionally be used to describe 'crushing' an opponent or 'shredding' an argument, though other verbs like 'aplastar' or 'destrozar' are more frequent for those abstract meanings. Understanding triturar allows a learner to navigate hardware stores, kitchens, and office supply shops with confidence, as it describes a fundamental physical action that we perform daily, whether we are making a smoothie or destroying sensitive documents.

Es necesario triturar el hielo antes de ponerlo en la coctelera para que la bebida se enfríe más rápido.

Medical Application: In healthcare, nurses or caregivers might need to triturar pills for patients who have difficulty swallowing whole tablets. This usage is common in clinical instructions and pharmacies.

La máquina puede triturar hasta veinte hojas de papel al mismo tiempo.

Using triturar correctly involves understanding its role as a transitive verb, meaning it almost always requires a direct object—the thing being crushed. Because it is a regular verb ending in '-ar', its conjugation follows the standard patterns that A2 learners are familiar with. For example, in the present tense, you have trituro, trituras, tritura, trituramos, trituráis, trituran. In the past tense (pretérito), it becomes trituré, trituraste, trituró, and so on. Mastering these forms allows you to describe past actions like 'I crushed the garlic' or future intentions like 'I will grind the grain.'

Subject-Verb-Object Structure: The most common sentence structure is [Subject] + [Conjugated Verb] + [Direct Object]. For example: 'El chef tritura las especias.' (The chef grinds the spices). If you want to specify the tool used, you add 'con' (with): 'Ella tritura las nueces con un mortero.' (She crushes the nuts with a mortar).

Si quieres que el café sepa mejor, debes triturar los granos justo antes de prepararlo.

The Imperative (Commands): Since triturar is frequently used in instructions (recipes, manuals), the imperative mood is very common. You will often see 'Triture...' (Formal/Usted) or 'Tritura...' (Informal/Tú). For example: 'Triture el papel antes de tirarlo a la basura.' (Shred the paper before throwing it in the trash).

In passive constructions, which are common in technical writing, you might see the 'se' impersonal or the true passive. For example: 'Se trituran los materiales reciclables para facilitar su transporte.' (Recyclable materials are crushed to facilitate their transport). This emphasizes the action and the object rather than who is doing it. In more advanced levels, you might encounter the past participle used as an adjective: 'pimienta triturada' (crushed pepper) or 'piedra triturada' (crushed stone). This is a very common way to describe the state of an ingredient or material.

Ayer trituramos todas las ramas secas del jardín para hacer abono.

Combining with Modal Verbs: It is very useful to pair triturar with verbs like 'poder' (can), 'deber' (must), or 'querer' (want). '¿Puedes triturar esto por mí?' (Can you crush this for me?) is a standard request in a shared kitchen or workspace.

La empresa decidió triturar los documentos antiguos para proteger la privacidad de sus clientes.

You are most likely to encounter the word triturar in environments where physical transformation of materials is the primary focus. The most common 'real-world' setting is undoubtedly the kitchen. If you watch Spanish-language cooking shows like 'MasterChef España' or follow food bloggers on Instagram, you will hear triturar constantly. It is the standard verb for making purees, gazpacho, or grinding spices. Chefs will say, 'Ahora vamos a triturar los ingredientes hasta obtener una textura suave.' (Now we are going to grind the ingredients until we get a smooth texture). It suggests a level of processing that is more intense than just mixing.

In the Office and Security: Another frequent location is the modern office. With strict data protection laws (like GDPR), the act of 'shredding documents' is a daily necessity. If you ask a colleague where the paper shredder is, you might say, '¿Dónde está la máquina de triturar papel?' or 'Necesito triturar estos contratos viejos.' It carries a connotation of security and finality.

En el taller de reciclaje, vimos cómo una gran máquina podía triturar botellas de plástico en segundos.

Industrial and Environmental Contexts: If you find yourself near a construction site, a recycling plant, or a farm, triturar will appear in descriptions of machinery. A 'trituradora de escombros' is a rubble crusher. On a farm, a 'trituradora de forraje' grinds up feed for animals. In these contexts, the word sounds heavy, mechanical, and industrial.

In a domestic setting, you might hear it when discussing household waste. Many modern sinks have a 'triturador de basura' (garbage disposal) which tritura food scraps so they can pass through the pipes. If the device breaks, you’d tell the plumber, 'El triturador no está funcionando bien.' Additionally, in the world of DIY and gardening, people talk about triturar branches or leaves to create mulch (mulching). It is a word associated with productivity and transformation.

El dentista me explicó que mis muelas están diseñadas para triturar los alimentos más duros.

Science and Education: In a chemistry or biology class, students might be instructed to triturar a sample using a mortar and pestle (mortero y pilón) to increase its surface area for a reaction. It is a fundamental laboratory verb.

Para proteger tu identidad, es fundamental triturar cualquier documento que contenga tus datos bancarios.

When learning triturar, English speakers often fall into a few common traps, primarily revolving around choosing the wrong synonym or misapplying the word to abstract situations. The most frequent mistake is confusing triturar with moler or machacar. While they are related, they are not always interchangeable. Moler is specifically for grinding into a very fine powder (like flour or ground coffee), while triturar is broader and can result in coarser pieces. If you say you want to 'triturar' coffee, people will understand, but 'moler' is the traditional and more accurate term for that specific action.

Confusing with 'Machacar': Machacar implies a pounding or hammering motion (like using a mallet). You 'machacas' garlic with the side of a knife or a heavy tool. Triturar is more about the mechanical reduction, often using a machine with blades or rotating parts. Using triturar when you mean 'to pound' might sound a bit overly technical or mechanical.

Error: 'Voy a triturar la puerta con el martillo.' (Incorrect use for smashing a door). Correct: 'Voy a destrozar/romper la puerta.'

Overextending to Abstract Concepts: In English, we might say 'the news crushed my heart' or 'he crushed his opponent.' While Spanish occasionally uses triturar for 'shredding' an opponent in sports or debate, it is much less common than 'aplastar' (to crush/flatten) or 'destruir' (to destroy). Using triturar for emotional states usually sounds unnatural to native speakers.

Another mistake is with the past participle. Some learners might try to create an irregular past participle, but triturar is perfectly regular: triturado. Using 'triturada' for a feminine object (like 'pimienta triturada') is correct, but forgetting the gender agreement is a common A2-level error. Furthermore, learners sometimes confuse the noun trituradora (the machine) with the action. You don't 'hacer trituradora'; you simply 'trituras'.

Error: 'La carne está triturar.' Correct: 'La carne está triturada.' (The meat is ground/minced).

Spelling Errors: Some learners misspell it as 'tritutar' or 'triturrar'. Remember there is only one 'r' in the middle and it ends with the standard '-rar'. The double 'r' sound is only at the end in the infinitive, but it's a single 'r' character.

Correct: 'Tengo que triturar estas galletas para la tarta.' (I have to crush these cookies for the cake).

Understanding the nuances between triturar and its synonyms will greatly enhance your Spanish precision. While they all involve breaking things down, the method and the result differ. Triturar is the most general and often implies a mechanical process. Let's look at the others to see when you should choose them instead.

Moler vs. Triturar: Moler is the verb for grinding something into a powder or flour. You mueves (grind) corn to make flour or coffee beans for your morning brew. Triturar can result in powder, but it often results in small chunks. If you are using a mill (molino), you are moliendo.
Machacar vs. Triturar: Machacar involves impact. Think of a hammer hitting a stone or a chef hitting a clove of garlic with a heavy object. Triturar is more about the constant pressure or the action of blades. Machacar is also used colloquially to mean 'to study hard' (machacar los libros).
Picar vs. Triturar: Picar means to chop or mince. When you picas an onion, you are making small cubes with a knife. When you trituras an onion, you are likely turning it into a pulp or very fine mush, usually with a machine.

Para el pesto, puedes machacar la albahaca en un mortero o triturar todo en la procesadora.

Desmenuzar vs. Triturar: Desmenuzar means to shred or crumble, often by hand. You desmenuzas cooked chicken for tacos or bread to make crumbs. It is a gentler, more manual process than triturar, which is more aggressive.

In summary, choose triturar when a machine is involved or when the goal is to break a solid into small, irregular particles. Choose moler for fine powders, machacar for forceful impacts, picar for neat knife work, and desmenuzar for pulling things apart by hand. Knowing these distinctions will make your descriptions of cooking and physical tasks much more natural.

El reciclador prefiere triturar el vidrio antes de enviarlo a la fábrica para ser fundido de nuevo.

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

The English word 'triturate' exists in technical contexts (like pharmacy) and comes from the exact same Latin root, but 'triturar' is much more common in everyday Spanish than its cousin is in English.

Pronunciation Guide

UK tri.tu.'rar

US tri.tu.'rar

The stress is on the last syllable: tri-tu-RAR.

Rhymes With

par mar lugar caminar hablar cocinar esperar pensar

Common Errors

Pronouncing the 'u' like the English 'u' in 'use' (it should be 'oo').
Not tapping the 'r' sounds correctly.
Stressing the wrong syllable (e.g., TRI-tu-rar).

Difficulty Rating

Reading 2/5

Easy to recognize in context, especially in recipes or manuals.

Writing 3/5

Requires remembering the -ar conjugation and when to use it over synonyms.

Speaking 3/5

The 'tr' and 'r' sounds can be a bit tricky for non-native speakers to roll.

Listening 2/5

Distinctive sound makes it easy to pick out in conversation.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

romper cortar picar cocinar hielo papel

Learn Next

moler machacar desmenuzar licuar pulverizar

Advanced

la molienda el mortero la fragmentación la desintegración

Grammar to Know

Regular -ar verb conjugation

Yo trituro, tú trituras, él tritura...

Use of the direct object pronoun

¿El hielo? Sí, lo estoy triturando.

The passive 'se'

Se trituran las uvas en el lagar.

Imperative mood for instructions

Tritura la mezcla por dos minutos.

Past participle as adjective

Pimienta negra triturada.

Examples by Level

Yo trituro el hielo para el jugo.

I crush the ice for the juice.

Present tense, 1st person singular.

¿Puedes triturar el ajo?

Can you crush the garlic?

Infinitive after a modal verb.

Él tritura las galletas.

He crushes the cookies.

Present tense, 3rd person singular.

Nosotros trituramos la fruta.

We grind/mash the fruit.

Present tense, 1st person plural.

Tritura el papel, por favor.

Shred the paper, please.

Imperative (command), informal 'tú'.

La máquina tritura todo.

The machine crushes everything.

Present tense, 3rd person singular.

Ellos trituran las nueces.

They crush the nuts.

Present tense, 3rd person plural.

¿Trituras tú la pimienta?

Do you grind the pepper?

Question in present tense, 2nd person singular.

Ayer trituré los documentos viejos.

Yesterday I shredded the old documents.

Pretérito Indefinido (past), 1st person singular.

Triture las verduras para la sopa.

Grind the vegetables for the soup.

Imperative (command), formal 'usted'.

¿Has triturado ya el café?

Have you ground the coffee yet?

Pretérito Perfecto (present perfect).

Ella trituraba el maíz cada mañana.

She used to grind the corn every morning.

Pretérito Imperfecto (used to).

Necesitamos triturar estas piedras.

We need to crush these stones.

Infinitive after a verb of necessity.

El chef trituró las especias a mano.

The chef crushed the spices by hand.

Pretérito Indefinido, 3rd person singular.

¿Van a triturar el vidrio hoy?

Are they going to crush the glass today?

Future with 'ir a'.

No tritures las hojas todavía.

Don't shred the leaves yet.

Negative imperative, informal 'tú'.

Espero que la máquina triture bien el plástico.

I hope the machine shreds the plastic well.

Present Subjunctive after 'esperar que'.

Se trituran los ingredientes hasta que estén suaves.

The ingredients are ground until they are smooth.

Impersonal 'se' construction.

Si tuviera tiempo, trituraría las semillas yo mismo.

If I had time, I would grind the seeds myself.

Conditional tense.

Habían triturado todo el papel antes de la inspección.

They had shredded all the paper before the inspection.

Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto (past perfect).

Es importante triturar la basura orgánica.

It is important to grind organic waste.

Infinitive as a subject.

Aunque tritures el metal, no cambiará su peso.

Even if you crush the metal, its weight won't change.

Concessive clause with subjunctive.

La trituración de documentos es obligatoria aquí.

The shredding of documents is mandatory here.

Noun form 'trituración'.

Estamos triturando las ramas secas para el jardín.

We are shredding the dry branches for the garden.

Present continuous.

El camión trituró los escombros rápidamente.

The truck crushed the debris quickly.

Focus on efficient action.

Dudo que puedan triturar este material tan duro.

I doubt they can crush such a hard material.

Subjunctive after doubt.

Una vez triturado, el mineral se transporta a la mina.

Once crushed, the mineral is transported to the mine.

Past participle as a temporal clause.

La empresa fue multada por no triturar los datos sensibles.

The company was fined for not shredding sensitive data.

Passive voice context.

Triturar los granos de forma desigual afecta el sabor.

Grinding the beans unevenly affects the flavor.

Gerund-like use of infinitive.

El equipo trituró a su oponente en el partido final.

The team crushed its opponent in the final match.

Figurative usage.

Es fundamental que se triture la piedra antes de pavimentar.

It is fundamental that the stone is crushed before paving.

Subjunctive with impersonal 'se'.

¿Habrías triturado las hojas si hubiera llovido?

Would you have shredded the leaves if it had rained?

Conditional perfect.

La mandíbula está diseñada para triturar fibras resistentes.

The jaw is designed to grind resistant fibers.

Scientific/Technical register.

La crítica trituró la nueva película del director.

The critics shredded the director's new movie.

Metaphorical usage in journalism.

El proceso de triturar el mármol requiere maquinaria pesada.

The process of crushing marble requires heavy machinery.

Noun-phrase with infinitive.

A pesar de triturar las pruebas, el sospechoso fue capturado.

Despite shredding the evidence, the suspect was caught.

Complex sentence structure.

No basta con triturar, hay que pulverizar el compuesto.

It's not enough to crush; you have to pulverize the compound.

Distinguishing between synonyms.

La trituradora de mandíbula es ideal para rocas volcánicas.

The jaw crusher is ideal for volcanic rocks.

Specialized terminology.

Su elocuencia trituró cualquier atisbo de duda en la audiencia.

His eloquence shredded any hint of doubt in the audience.

Advanced metaphorical use.

El grano debe triturarse hasta alcanzar el micraje deseado.

The grain must be ground until it reaches the desired micron size.

Pronominal passive with technical term.

La implacable lógica del fiscal trituró la coartada del acusado.

The prosecutor's relentless logic shredded the defendant's alibi.

High-level abstract metaphor.

El engranaje social puede triturar la individualidad del ser.

The social machinery can crush the individuality of the being.

Philosophical/Literary register.

Se requiere una fase de trituración primaria antes de la molienda.

A primary crushing phase is required before grinding.

Professional engineering context.

La erosión ha ido triturando los acantilados durante milenios.

Erosion has been crushing the cliffs for millennia.

Personification/Natural process.

Triturar el pasado no garantiza un futuro libre de errores.

Shredding the past doesn't guarantee a future free of errors.

Abstract subject.

La eficiencia del triturador de residuos sólidos es asombrosa.

The efficiency of the solid waste shredder is amazing.

Formal noun usage.

Bajo la presión del mercado, las pequeñas empresas son trituradas.

Under market pressure, small businesses are crushed.

Passive voice in economic context.

El autor utiliza el verbo 'triturar' para enfatizar la violencia.

The author uses the verb 'triturar' to emphasize the violence.

Metalinguistic analysis.

Common Collocations

triturar papel

triturar hielo

triturar basura

triturar grano

triturar piedra

triturar especias

triturar documentos

triturar galletas

triturar medicamentos

triturar la comida

Common Phrases

máquina de triturar

— A general term for any crushing or shredding machine.

Compramos una máquina de triturar ramas.

triturar a alguien

— To defeat someone completely in a competition (metaphorical).

El equipo local trituró al visitante.

bien triturado

— Refers to something that has been crushed thoroughly.

El ajo debe estar bien triturado.

triturar por completo

— To crush something until nothing of the original remains.

El coche quedó triturado tras el accidente.

sin triturar

— In its original, whole solid state.

Prefiero el café sin triturar.

triturar en seco

— To grind something without adding liquid.

Puedes triturar los frutos secos en seco.

triturar con agua

— To blend something with liquid to make a puree.

Tritura la verdura con un poco de agua.

fácil de triturar

— Something that breaks down with little effort.

Esta galleta es muy fácil de triturar.

difícil de triturar

— Something resistant to crushing.

El plástico duro es difícil de triturar.

triturar para reciclar

— To shred materials as part of the recycling process.

Triturar el vidrio para reciclar es eficiente.

Often Confused With

triturar vs torturar

Means 'to torture'. Sounds similar but is completely different. Don't mix them up!

triturar vs tinturar

Means 'to dye' (less common than 'teñir'). Similar spelling but unrelated.

triturar vs tiritar

Means 'to shiver'. Similar starting sound.

Idioms & Expressions

"triturar los sesos"

— To think very hard or study intensely (similar to 'machacar').

Se trituró los sesos estudiando para el examen.

informal

"triturar el mercado"

— To dominate or destroy the competition in business.

Su nueva App está triturando el mercado.

business

"triturar las palabras"

— To speak unclearly or mumble (rare).

Estaba tan nervioso que trituraba las palabras.

literary

"triturar esperanzas"

— To destroy someone's hopes completely.

La noticia trituró sus esperanzas.

literary

"triturar el tiempo"

— To waste time or kill time (colloquial in some regions).

Estamos aquí triturando el tiempo mientras esperamos.

informal

"triturar a críticas"

— To criticize someone or something mercilessly.

La prensa trituró al ministro a críticas.

journalistic

"hecho puré/triturado"

— To be exhausted or beaten up.

Después del gimnasio, estoy triturado.

informal

"triturar el alma"

— To cause deep emotional pain.

Su traición le trituró el alma.

literary

"triturar la paciencia"

— To exhaust someone's patience completely.

Sus quejas constantes trituran mi paciencia.

informal

"triturar récords"

— To break sports or achievement records by a lot.

El atleta está triturando todos los récords mundiales.

journalistic

Easily Confused

triturar vs moler

Both involve breaking things down.

Moler is specifically for making powder/flour; triturar is more general and mechanical.

Muelo café, trituro hielo.

triturar vs machacar

Both mean to crush.

Machacar implies hitting/pounding; triturar implies grinding/mechanical force.

Machaco el ajo con un mazo, trituro el papel con la máquina.

triturar vs picar

Both involve small pieces.

Picar is chopping into distinct bits (like with a knife); triturar is making a mass of small bits.

Pico la cebolla para la ensalada, trituro el tomate para la salsa.

triturar vs desmenuzar

Both mean breaking apart.

Desmenuzar is usually by hand or crumbling; triturar is more aggressive and often mechanical.

Desmenuzo el queso, trituro las piedras.

triturar vs romper

Both mean to break.

Romper is general (breaking a window); triturar is specific to making many tiny fragments.

Rompí el vaso, trituré el vidrio.

Sentence Patterns

Yo [verb] el/la [noun]

Yo trituro la galleta.

Tritura el/la [noun] con [tool]

Tritura el ajo con el mortero.

Es necesario [verb] el/la [noun]

Es necesario triturar el papel.

Se [verb] los/las [noun]

Se trituran las piedras.

Si [subjunctive], [conditional] [verb]

Si tuviera una máquina, trituraría el metal.

Después de [verb], el/la [noun]...

Después de triturar, el café huele muy bien.

El proceso de [noun] requiere [noun]

El proceso de trituración requiere energía.

[Abstract noun] terminó por [verb] [noun]

La presión terminó por triturar su voluntad.

Word Family

Nouns

la trituración (the act of crushing)

la trituradora (the machine/shredder)

el triturador (the crusher/disposal)

Verbs

triturar (to crush)

Adjectives

triturado/a (crushed/shredded)

triturador/a (crushing - e.g., potencia trituradora)

el mortero (mortar)

el molino (mill)

la licuadora (blender)

la molienda (grinding)

el fragmento (fragment)

How to Use It

frequency

Common in specific domains like cooking, office work, and industry.

Common Mistakes

Using 'triturar' for breaking a window. → Rompí la ventana.
Triturar implies breaking into many tiny pieces on purpose, usually for a process. Breaking a window is just 'romper'.
Saying 'triturar el café' habitually. → Moler el café.
While 'triturar' is understood, 'moler' is the specific and more natural verb for grinding coffee or grain.
Confusing 'triturar' with 'torturar'. → Triturar el papel.
Torturar means to torture. They sound similar to beginners, so be careful with the 'i' vs 'o'.
Forgetting gender agreement with the adjective. → Pimienta triturada.
Since 'pimienta' is feminine, the past participle used as an adjective must also be feminine.
Using 'triturar' for shredding cheese. → Rallar el queso.
For cheese or carrots using a grater, use 'rallar'. 'Triturar' would turn them into a mush.

Tips

Use it for purees

Whenever you use a blender to make a smooth soup or sauce, the verb you want is 'triturar'. It sounds more professional than just saying 'mezclar' (mix).

Check the object

Since 'triturar' is transitive, always make sure you have a direct object. 'Estoy triturando' sounds incomplete; say 'Estoy triturando las nueces'.

T-R cluster

Focus on the 'tr' sound. Place your tongue behind your upper teeth and release quickly. Don't let it sound like 'ch'.

Kitchen tools

Learn the words 'mortero' (mortar) and 'licuadora' (blender) alongside 'triturar'. They are a natural set.

The 'Shredder' link

Think of the Ninja Turtles' villain 'The Shredder'. In Spanish, he could be called 'El Triturador'.

Adjectives

Use 'triturado' to describe textures in your writing. 'Piedra triturada' or 'papel triturado' adds great detail.

Data Security

In a business context, use 'triturar documentos' to talk about confidentiality. It's the standard professional term.

Digestion

Use 'triturar' when describing how teeth work. It's the correct anatomical and functional term.

Recycling

If you talk about the environment, 'triturar' is key for describing how glass and plastic are processed.

Be careful with metaphors

Only use 'triturar' for people or ideas if you want to sound very aggressive or emphasize a total defeat.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a 'Triton' (the Greek god) crushing a 'star' (rar). Tri-tu-rar. Or think of 'Treat your bar' (like a chocolate bar) by crushing it into bits.

Visual Association

Imagine a paper shredder making long strips of paper, or a blender turning solid fruit into a liquid. Visualize the 'TR' sound as the grinding of gears.

Word Web

Cocina Papel Máquina Polvo Presión Dientes Hielo Reciclaje

Challenge

Try to find five things in your house that can be 'triturados' (e.g., paper, garlic, ice, cookies, old branches) and say the sentence: 'Puedo triturar el/la...' for each one.

Word Origin

From the Latin verb 'triturare', which means to thresh grain or to grind.

Original meaning: Originally specifically referred to the agricultural process of threshing wheat to separate the grain.

Romance (Latinate).

Cultural Context

No specific sensitivities, though in figurative use, it can sound quite aggressive (e.g., 'triturar a alguien').

English speakers might use 'shred', 'grind', 'crush', or 'mince'. Spanish uses 'triturar' for all these if a mechanical or total breakdown is implied.

The 'trituradora de carne' (meat grinder) is a common metaphor in Spanish literature and film for systems that exploit people. 'MasterChef' contestants are often told to 'triturar' their sauces for a better 'emplatado' (plating). Environmental campaigns often use the image of 'triturar' plastic to promote recycling.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Kitchen/Cooking

Triturar el ajo
Triturar hasta que esté suave
Triturar las galletas
Usar la licuadora para triturar

Office/Security

Triturar documentos confidenciales
La trituradora está llena
Necesito triturar esto
Papel triturado

Industry/Recycling

Triturar vidrio
Triturar escombros
Planta de trituración
Triturar metales

Biology/Health

Triturar los alimentos
Triturar una pastilla
Dientes para triturar
Trituración mecánica

Gardening

Triturar ramas
Trituradora de hojas
Triturar para compost
Hacer mantillo triturando

Conversation Starters

"¿Tienes una trituradora de papel en tu oficina o prefieres tirar los documentos directamente?"

"En tu receta de gazpacho, ¿prefieres triturar mucho las verduras o dejar trozos?"

"¿Sabías que los elefantes usan sus molares para triturar ramas enteras?"

"¿Alguna vez se te ha estropeado el triturador de basura de la cocina?"

"¿Crees que es mejor triturar el café en casa o comprarlo ya molido?"

Journal Prompts

Describe el proceso de preparar tu plato favorito que requiera triturar algún ingrediente.

Escribe sobre una vez que te sentiste 'triturado' por el trabajo o los estudios. ¿Qué pasó?

Imagina que tienes una máquina que puede triturar problemas abstractos. ¿Qué pondrías dentro hoy?

¿Por qué crees que es importante triturar ciertos documentos antes de reciclarlos?

Describe los sonidos y olores que asocias con el acto de triturar especias en un mortero.

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

Triturar is a general term for crushing or shredding into small pieces, often using a machine. Moler is specifically used for grinding something into a fine powder, like flour or coffee. You 'trituras' paper, but you 'mueles' grain.

It is not very common. In English you can say 'crushed', but in Spanish it's better to use 'destrozado' or 'hundido'. 'Triturar' is almost always physical, though it can be used for 'shredding' an opponent's argument.

Se llama 'trituradora de papel'. También se puede llamar simplemente 'trituradora' si el contexto es claro.

Yes, it is a completely regular -ar verb. It follows the same pattern as 'hablar' or 'cantar' in all tenses.

Yes, but 'picar' is more common for 'minced meat' (carne picada). 'Triturar carne' would imply making it into a paste or very fine mush, perhaps for baby food.

It is the garbage disposal unit installed in kitchen sinks that grinds up food scraps so they can be washed away.

El participio es 'triturado'. Se usa mucho como adjetivo, por ejemplo: 'hielo triturado'.

'Triturar' is the best translation for shredding documents. For shredding food like chicken or cheese, 'desmenuzar' or 'rallar' is better.

Yes, it is an informal way to say you are thinking or studying very hard, similar to 'breaking your head' over something.

Yes, very often. It refers to crushing large rocks into gravel or 'escombros' (rubble) for reuse.