quebrantado

Quebrantado is a Spanish adjective meaning broken, shattered, or damaged, used for both physical objects and figurative states. It can describe something that has been fractured or worn down, as well as a person who feels exhausted, defeated, or emotionally crushed. The term belongs to everyday usage in many Spanish-speaking regions and can appear in literary, legal, and informal contexts.

Origin and form: Quebrantado derives from the verb quebrantar, which means to break, weaken, or infringe. The participle agrees with gender and number: quebrantado (masculine singular), quebrantada (feminine singular), quebrantados and quebrantadas (plural). The related verb quebrantar is used transitively, as in quebrantar la resistencia or quebrantar la ley, with the noun quebrantamiento referring to the act or result of breaking or breaching.

Usage and examples: In literal contexts, one might say la vasija quedó quebrantada or la cuerda está quebrantada to indicate physical damage. Figuratively, phrases such as un espíritu quebrantado or un ánimo quebrantado convey emotional or moral deterioration. The expression la ley fue quebrantada corresponds to breaking the law, while the noun quebrantamiento denotes the breach itself.

Regional notes and relation terms: Quebrantado is widely understood across the Spanish-speaking world, though nuances can vary by region and register. Related terms include romper, dañar, and colapsar, while quebrantamiento and quebrantar provide more formal or legal-linguistic senses of breach or violation.