derrumbarse
verbCEFR B2
What does “derrumbarse” mean in English?
1.to crash, to collapse
to crash, to collapse (figurative: markets, systems, plans — los mercados se derrumbaron)
2.to collapse, to fall apart
to collapse, to fall apart (physical structure, political regime, emotional state — always reflexive)
Example sentences
Los mercados se derrumbaron en cuestión de horas cuando se supo que las negociaciones habían fracasado.
The markets crashed within hours when news broke that the negotiations had failed.
El sistema bancario se derrumbó bajo el peso de las deudas acumuladas durante años de mala gestión.
The banking system collapsed under the weight of debts accumulated over years of mismanagement.
Sus esperanzas se derrumbaron cuando recibió la carta de rechazo de la única universidad a la que había aplicado.
Her hopes collapsed when she received the rejection letter from the only university she had applied to.
How to use it
Derrumbarse in its figurative sense means 'to crash' or 'to collapse' — used of markets, systems, plans, or morale. Always reflexive: se derrumbaron. The contrast with estrellarse is register and domain: derrumbarse covers the figurative and the physical (buildings collapsing), while estrellarse covers vehicle impacts only.
Common mistake
The reflexive se is always required: *'los mercados derrumbaron' is ungrammatical. Don't use derrumbarse for vehicle accidents — that is estrellarse. Derrumbarse covers figurative collapses (markets, systems, emotions) and physical collapses (walls, buildings), but not vehicle crashes.