it broke

Meanings

1. 1phrasefixed phrase

   used to say that something stopped working or came apart, often suddenly.

   Grammar: This is a full clause: 'it' is the subject and 'broke' is the past tense of 'break'. It is not used before a noun.

   Patterns

   • it broke
   • something broke

   I dropped my phone and it broke.

   The washing machine made a loud noise and then it broke.

   My watch broke last week, so I need a new one.

2. 2phrasefixed phraseinformal

   used in informal questions or statements to ask whether something is out of order or damaged.

   Grammar: Common in casual speech: 'Is it broke?' means 'Is it broken?' Many teachers consider 'broke' here non-standard, but it is very common in everyday talk.

   Patterns

   • is it broke?
   • it's broke

   Is it broke, or does it just need new batteries?

   Don't use that chair—it's broke.

   The elevator is broke again, so we'll take the stairs.

Common combinations

it broke down

The car was fine yesterday, but it broke down this morning.

it broke off

The handle was loose, and then it broke off in my hand.

it broke into pieces

The vase fell and it broke into pieces.

it broke the screen

I sat on my tablet and it broke the screen.

Synonyms and how they differ

it is broken

This is the standard, more formal way to say the same thing; 'it broke' is more casual and focuses on the event.

it stopped working

This describes the result rather than the sudden event, and it works for machines but not for things that snap in two.

Opposites

Word family

break verb

to separate into pieces or stop working

broken adjective

damaged or not working

breakage noun

the act of breaking or something that has been broken

Commonly confused: it broke or broke?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “it broke”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words