The Present Tense of Derretir is used to describe actions that are happening right now or that occur habitually. For example, El sol derrite la nieve en primavera. (The sun melts the snow in spring.)
Derretir is a regular -ir verb, which means its conjugations follow the typical pattern for verbs ending in -ir in the present tense.
Conjugations
Conjugations of Derretir (to melt) in the Present Tense tense (Castilian Spanish):
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | derrito |
| Tú | derrites |
| Él / Ella / Usted | derrite |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | derretimos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | derretís |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | derriten |
Boost Your Memorization with Audio!
We’ve included audio recordings of the the conjugations of Derretir (to melt) in the Present Tense to help you learn faster.
Pro Tip: Play the audio on a loop as you study the chart. This repetition will solidify the correct conjugations in your memory.
Usage of Derretir in the Present Tense
Derretir generally means to melt or liquefy something, but has several different meanings in the Present Tense, some of which might surprise you.
Literal meaning: To cause something solid to become liquid through the application of heat, for example, El sol derrite la nieve en primavera (The sun melts the snow in spring).
Figurative meaning: To cause someone to become overwhelmed with emotion or desire, for example, Su sonrisa me derrite (Her smile melts me).
Colloquial meaning: To exhaust or tire someone out completely, for example, Este calor me derrite (This heat is melting me).
Slang meaning: To disappear or run away quickly, for example, Cuando vio a la policía, se derritió (When he saw the police, he melted away).
Examples
Examples of Derretir in the Present Tense
El sol derrite la nieve en primavera. (The sun melts the snow in spring.)
Cuando derretimos el chocolate, lo usamos para hacer postres deliciosos. (When we melt the chocolate, we use it to make delicious desserts.)
¿Por qué derriten las velas tan rápido? Hace calor aquí. (Why do the candles melt so fast? It’s hot in here.)
El hielo se derrite con el calor del sol. (The ice melts in the heat of the sun.)
La mantequilla derrite fácilmente en la sartén caliente. (The butter melts easily in the hot pan.)
En verano, derretís las paletas de hielo muy rápido. (In summer, you melt popsicles very quickly.)
La cera derrite cuando la exponemos al fuego. (The wax melts when we expose it to fire.)
Mamá derrite el queso para hacer nachos. (Mom melts the cheese to make nachos.)
¿Por qué derrites la barra de chocolate? ¿Vas a hacer brownies? (Why are you melting the chocolate bar? Are you going to make brownies?)
El glaciar derrite lentamente debido al calentamiento global. (The glacier melts slowly due to global warming.)
Cuando derretimos el hierro, podemos moldearlo en diferentes formas. (When we melt iron, we can mold it into different shapes.)
El calor del desierto derrite el asfalto de las carreteras. (The desert heat melts the asphalt on the roads.)
Los niños derriten los caramelos en el microondas para hacer paletas caseras. (The kids melt the candies in the microwave to make homemade lollipops.)
En la fundición, los trabajadores derriten el metal para crear piezas. (At the foundry, workers melt metal to create parts.)
El chef derrite la mantequilla antes de cocinar. (The chef melts the butter before cooking.)
Conjugations with English Translations
Conjugations of Derretir (to melt) in the Present Tense tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Yo derrito | I melt |
| Tú derrites | You melt |
| Él / Ella / Usted derrite | He / She / You (formal) melts |
| Nosotros / Nosotras derretimos | We melt |
| Vosotros / Vosotras derretís | You all melt |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes derriten | They / You all (formal) melt |
This post covers Castilian Spanish. For Latin American Spanish, click here
Synonyms
The Present tense is also known as the Simple Present, Present Simple, Present Tense, or Present Indicative in English, and as Presente de Indicativo, Presente Simple, Tiempo Presente, or Indicativo Presente in Spanish.