Breakdown of La bomba está a punto de explotar y el techo está a punto de derrumbarse.
de
from / of
y
and
estar
to be (location/state)
a
to
el punto
the dot / the point
el techo
the roof
la bomba
the bomb
explotar
to explode
derrumbarse
to collapse
Questions & Answers about La bomba está a punto de explotar y el techo está a punto de derrumbarse.
How does the phrase estar a punto de work in this sentence?
It is a fixed expression meaning "to be about to" do something. You conjugate estar to match the subject (la bomba or el techo), leave a punto de exactly as it is, and always follow it with an infinitive verb like explotar or derrumbarse.
Why is the pronoun se attached to the end of derrumbarse? Can it go anywhere else?
Derrumbarse is used here to mean "to collapse" or "to fall down" on its own. Because it is an infinitive verb, the pronoun se attaches directly to the end. However, with this type of phrase, you also have the option to move the pronoun before the conjugated verb: el techo se está a punto de derrumbar. Both options are perfectly correct.
Could I say está por explotar instead of está a punto de explotar?
I sometimes see tejado used for "roof". Why use techo here?
Techo is the general word for "roof" and is also the word for "ceiling" (the inner top of a room). Tejado specifically refers to the exterior roof of a building, especially a slanted one covered in tiles (tejas). Since an explosion would likely bring down the ceiling right above them, techo is the best fit here.
Learn La bomba está a punto de explotar y el techo está a punto de derrumbarse and more in Spanish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free