In this paper we discuss inelastic breakup, which is one of the direct components of the inclusive energy spectra for transfer to the continuum reactions. There is inelastic breakup when a nucleon is emitted by the projectile without being absorbed by the target but at the same time the target undergoes an inelastic excitation because of the final-state interaction. We estimate the inelastic breakup from the imaginary part of the nucleon-nucleus optical potential. The basic assumption is that inelastic processes give the major contribution to the surface part of the absorptive potential. Our approach allows inelastic breakup to be distinguished from elastic breakup in which the target remains in its ground state and from other types of absorptive effects like transfer to single particle and/or compound nucleus resonances and we discuss the energy evolution of the various processes.