Mi camisa se rompe si corro rápido.

My shirt breaks if I run fast.

Breakdown of Mi camisa se rompe si corro rápido.

• yo: I
• mi: my
• si: if
• correr: to run
• rápido: fast
• la camisa: the shirt
• romperse: to break

Questions & Answers about Mi camisa se rompe si corro rápido.

What does the pronoun se in "Mi camisa se rompe" indicate?

The se is used as part of a pronominal construction. Although a shirt isn’t a person, Spanish often uses se with certain verbs (like romperse) to show that the subject undergoes the action on its own or that the action happens accidentally. In this case, it subtly conveys that the shirt “tears” or “rips” on its own as a consequence rather than being actively torn by someone.

Why is the verb "romper" conjugated as rompe instead of using a past or future form?

The verb rompe is in the present indicative because the sentence is stating a general truth or a habitual result. In Spanish, real conditional sentences that express something that generally happens use the present tense in both the result and the condition clauses. This structure tells the listener that whenever the condition is met, the result is consistently observed.

What role does si play in this sentence and how does it influence the sentence structure?

The word si means “if” and introduces the condition in the sentence. When si is used to set up a real or habitual condition—as in si corro rápido (“if I run fast”)—it is common to use the present tense in both the condition and the result, which in this sentence are corro and se rompe respectively. This structure efficiently conveys that running fast consistently causes the shirt to tear.

Why is the adjective rápido used after corro instead of the adverbial form rápidamente?

In everyday Latin American Spanish, it is very common to use the adjective rápido in an adverbial sense with certain verbs like correr. While rápidamente is the standard adverb, native speakers often prefer rápido for its brevity and natural sound in informal contexts. This usage is perfectly acceptable and widely understood.

Does the sentence imply that the shirt tearing is a one-time occurrence or a recurring situation?

The sentence implies a recurring or habitual consequence. By using the present tense in both clauses, it suggests that whenever the speaker runs fast, the shirt tends to tear. It is describing a common, perhaps annoying, result rather than referring to a single past event.