Arruinarte

Arruinarte is a Spanish pronominal verb formed from arruinar plus the reflexive pronoun te. It expresses that the subject risks or actually ruins themselves or their situation through actions or decisions. The form is primarily used in informal speech, and in formal writing speakers often choose arruinarse (to ruin oneself) or other expressions to avoid the pronominal construction.

Meaning and usage

The core sense of arruinarte is self-directed ruin—in financial, personal, health, or reputational terms. It is commonly used to warn about the consequences of certain behaviors or to describe a path toward ruin caused by one’s own choices. The phrase can appear with different objects, such as a person’s finances, health, career, or life in general. In many contexts it corresponds to English “to ruin yourself” or “to ruin your own life.” It is typical in everyday conversation and may be paired with future or conditional constructions: “Si sigues así, te vas a arruinar.”

Examples

- Si sigues gastando así, te vas a arruinar.

- El consumo excesivo de alcohol puede arruinarte la salud.

- Una mala gestión puede arruinarte la carrera.

Etimology and related forms

Arruinarte derives from arruinar, with the addition of the reflexive pronoun te. Related forms include arruinarse (to ruin oneself) and, more broadly, arruinar (to ruin something or someone else). The term conveys a personal or self-inflicted negative outcome and is widely understood across Spanish-speaking regiones.

Notes

The expression is colloquial and less common in formal writing. When referring to harming another person, a non-pronominal form such as arruinar a alguien or arruinar something is typically used.