Don't make me cry!

Today I learned of a little four year old boy whom I know who was participating in a kindergarten program for "El Dia de la Madre" (Mother's Day) and each child had to hand their mother a rose. When it came his turn to give his mother the rose he "rompió en llanto" and asked his mother in front of all the children and the other mothers if they could please go and live again with his father from whom she was separated. The phrase "romper en llanto" means to break into tears and "rompió en llanto" means that he "broke into tears". I have to tell you that so did everybody else including, no doubt, the angels in Heaven. Why, oh why, must we put little children through so much emotional pain?

The phrase "romper en llanto" is a good phrase to learn although you can also say "romper a llorar" and "estallar en llanto".

Here are some examples you might use:

Me hizo romper en llanto.
It made me break into tears.

Lo hizo romper en llanto.
It made him break into tears.

La hizo romper en llanto.
It made her break into tears.

Ella estaba a punto de romper a llorar.
She was at the point of breaking into tears.

Please don't make anyone break into tears...especially little kids. Like your Mom always said, "It just isn't nice".

Oops...one more thing. Be careful. The word "llanto" means "crying". The word "llanta" means "automobile tire". Isn't Spanish interesting?