French · Everyday Verbs
"to break" in French: casser
casser
To break in French is casser. Je casse, tu casses, on casse. Past participle cassé / cassée. Use it for objects that snap or shatter.
Dropped mug
Attention — tu casses la tasse !Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce casser
Say it
kah-SAY
/ka.se/
Casser: kah-SAY. Casse: kahss. Cassé: kah-SAY. Soft s, clear ay ending on the infinitive.
"to break" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| casser | to break Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| je casse / tu casses | I break / you break Present. | Present. |
| cassé / cassée | broken Past participle / adjective. | Past participle / adjective. |
| se casser | to break (itself) / to get broken Reflexive for accidents. | Reflexive for accidents. |
How to use casser in real life
- 1Dropped mug
Attention — tu casses la tasse !
Careful—you'll break the cup!
Present casses.
- 2Moving furniture
On a cassé une chaise hier.
We broke a chair yesterday.
Passé composé cassé.
- 3Phone screen
Mon écran est cassé depuis la chute.
My screen has been broken since the fall.
Adjective cassé.
Mistakes English speakers make with casser
Incorrect: J'ai break la vitre.
Correct: J'ai cassé la vitre.
Use casser / cassé, not English break.
Incorrect: La casserole est cassée — wait, I meant the pan.
Correct: J'ai cassé l'assiette.
Une casserole is a cooking pot, not the verb casser.
Good to know
Casser covers glass, bones (se casser le bras), and figurative plans (ça casse l'ambiance). For electronics, people also say HS (hors service) once something is cassé beyond repair.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Kitchen mishap
ChatPal
Tu as cassé le bol ?
Did you break the bowl?
You
Oui, je l'ai cassé en le lavant.
Yes, I broke it while washing it.
ChatPal
Ce n'est pas grave — on casse tous des trucs.
No big deal—we all break things.
You
Je rachète le même demain.
I'll buy the same one tomorrow.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to break" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to break" in French
How do you say to break in French?
Casser.
How do you say it's broken?
C'est cassé / elle est cassée.
Does casserole count?
No — that's a cooking pot, not the verb.
How do you pronounce casser?
kah-SAY.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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