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?