Learn Spanish (Latin America): Él galopa para ganar y rompe a sudar. - He gallops in order to win and breaks into a sweat.

While empieza a sudar just means he starts to sweat, the structure romper a + infinitive emphasizes a sudden, intense, or abrupt start to an action. It is heavily used for involuntary physical or emotional reactions.

Can I use se echa a sudar instead, since both verbs express a sudden start?

Not naturally. While this lesson covers both, they have distinct common pairings. romper a is the natural choice for sudden involuntary releases like sudar (to sweat), llorar (to cry), or hervir (to boil). Meanwhile, echar(se) a is typically used with verbs of motion, like correr (to run) or volar (to fly).

Is romper a always the exact equivalent of the English phrase 'break into'?

It works perfectly for expressions like 'break into a sweat' (romper a sudar) or 'break into tears' (romper a llorar). However, remember that romper a must be followed by an infinitive verb to show a sudden start. You cannot use it to say 'break into a house'!

Why is it para ganar and not por ganar?

We use para followed by an infinitive to express the purpose or goal of an action, translating perfectly to 'in order to win'. If you used por, it would imply a cause or reason ('because of winning'), which does not fit the logic of why he is galloping.