Romper vs. quebrar
In Spanish, the words 'romper' and 'quebrar' both translate to 'to break', but they are used in slightly different contexts.
Romper
'Romper' means 'to break' in the sense of causing damage or separating something into pieces, often used for everyday items and less dramatic breaking events.
Rompí el vaso al dejarlo caer.
(I broke the glass by dropping it.)
El niño rompió su juguete favorito.
(The child broke his favorite toy.)
Ella rompió con su novio la semana pasada.
(She broke up with her boyfriend last week.)
Necesito romper el envoltorio para abrir el paquete.
(I need to tear the wrapping to open the package.)
Quebrar
'Quebrar' also means 'to break', but it is often used in more formal contexts, or when referring to breaking hard materials, shattering, or a financial context like bankruptcy.
El terremoto quebró varias ventanas.
(The earthquake shattered several windows.)
Él quebró la rama del árbol para usarla como bastón.
(He broke the tree branch to use it as a walking stick.)
La empresa quebró y dejó de operar.
(The company went bankrupt and ceased operations.)
Intentó quebrar el hielo con un martillo.
(He tried to break the ice with a hammer.)
Summary
While both 'romper' and 'quebrar' can mean 'to break', they are used in different situations. 'Romper' is more common for everyday objects and less severe instances, while 'quebrar' is used for harder materials, formal contexts, or financial bankruptcy.