Spanish Conversation · Level 155
28 words
Spanish word
derretir
Pronunciation
IPA/dereˈtiɾ/
Meaning
- verbmelt
Example
Voy a derretir el chocolate.
I'm going to melt the chocolate.
More examples
Esta sonrisa puede derretir mi corazón.
This smile can melt my heart.
Core concept
Hand pouring hot liquid onto a chocolate bar, causing it to melt into a glossy puddle.
Common phrases
derretir el corazón
melt one's heart
derretir la nieve
melt the snow
derretir el helado
melt the ice cream
Similar words
descongelar: Warm a frozen item to remove ice and return it to an unfrozen, usable state.
ablandar: Make a hard or firm material softer, reducing firmness without necessarily liquefying.
licuar: Turn a solid or thick mixture into a pourable liquid, often by blending or heating.
deshacer: Break or dissolve a solid so it loses its original shape or cohesive structure.
Definition in Spanish
Provocar la fusión o el ablandamiento de un cuerpo sólido, especialmente por acción térmica.
Word origin
Derretir comes from Romance origins, is cognate with Portuguese derreter, and developed a reflexive form derretirse to express spontaneous or emotional melting.
Usage tips
- Spanish uses derretir transitively to mean causing something to melt, while derretirse indicates that something melts on its own or that a person 'melts' emotionally, as in me derrito.