German · Everyday Verbs
"to break" in German: brechen
brechen
Note: objects: kaputt machen
To break in German is brechen. Say Die Vase bricht or Ich habe den Arm gebrochen. Everyday "break something" often becomes kaputt machen — that is only a note, not this headword.
Kitchen accident
Vorsicht — die Schüssel bricht leicht.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce brechen
Say it
BREKH-en
/ˈbʁɛçn̩/
BREKH-en. Soft ch after e; short e in -en.
"to break" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| brechen | to break Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| bricht / brach / gebrochen | breaks / broke / broken Key forms. | Key forms. |
| etwas brechen | to break something With object. | With object. |
| zerbrechen | to shatter Into pieces. | Into pieces. |
How to use brechen in real life
- 1Kitchen accident
Vorsicht — die Schüssel bricht leicht.
Careful — the bowl breaks easily.
Bricht conjugation.
- 2Sports injury
Er hat sich beim Fußball den Fuß gebrochen.
He broke his foot playing soccer.
Gebrochen past participle.
- 3Promise talk
Ich breche mein Versprechen nicht.
I won't break my promise.
Figurative brechen.
Mistakes English speakers make with brechen
Incorrect: Ich habe die Tasse kaputt gemacht. (only, for this page)
Correct: Die Tasse ist gebrochen. / Ich habe die Tasse zerbrochen.
Kaputt machen is a note; prefer brechen forms for this headword.
Incorrect: Die Tasse ist break.
Correct: Die Tasse ist gebrochen.
Use gebrochen, not English break.
Good to know
For phones and gadgets, people often say kaputt rather than gebrochen. For bones, glass, and promises, brechen sounds more natural.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
A cracked phone screen
ChatPal
Was ist mit dem Display?
What's with the screen?
You
Es ist gebrochen — ich bin hingefallen.
It's broken — I fell.
ChatPal
Glas bricht so schnell. Versicherung?
Glass breaks so fast. Insurance?
You
Ja, ich melde den Schaden heute.
Yes, I'll report the damage today.
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 German
How do you conjugate brechen?
Ich breche, du brichst, er bricht; past brach; participle gebrochen.
Is kaputt machen the same?
Related meaning, different wording — only a note here.
Broken arm?
Einen Arm gebrochen / der Arm ist gebrochen.
Shatter?
Zerbrechen.
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- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
