Spanish Phrase
Se pueden tirar las cosas rotas.
Meaning
This phrase uses the passive 'se' construction to express that it is permissible or possible to discard items that are no longer functional. It emphasizes the action of throwing away rather than specifying who is doing the throwing.
When to use
Use this when cleaning up a space, moving house, or giving instructions about waste disposal. It is a common way to state general rules or permissions regarding damaged items.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Se puedentirarlas cosasrotas
Passive Se (Impersonal)
The word 'se' combined with a third-person plural verb creates a passive effect where the object 'las cosas' receives the action.
Irregular Participle
'Rotas' is the feminine plural form of 'roto', the irregular past participle of 'romper' (to break).
🗨In Conversation
¿Qué hago con estos platos viejos?
What do I do with these old plates?
Se pueden tirar las cosas rotas.
Broken things can be thrown away.
✕Common Mistakes
Se puede tirar las cosas rotas.
In the passive 'se' construction, the verb must agree in number with the noun; since 'las cosas' is plural, use 'pueden'.
Se pueden tirar las cosas rompidas.
The verb 'romper' has an irregular past participle; 'roto/a' must be used instead of 'rompido'.
↔Alternatives
Puedes tirar lo que esté roto.
You can throw away whatever is broken.
Desecha los objetos dañados.
Discard the damaged objects.
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish-speaking cultures, there is a strong tradition of repairing items before discarding them. However, when things are truly 'rotas', you might hear 'tirar' in Spain, while 'botar' is more frequently used in Latin America.