"the car broke down" vs "the car break down"

Question

"the car broke down" vs "the car break down"

The correct phrase is "the car broke down." The verb "broke" is the past tense of "break," and it is used in this context to indicate that the car stopped working suddenly. The phrase "the car break down" is incorrect because it uses the base form of the verb instead of the past tense.

Last Updated: March 15, 2024

This phrase is used to describe a situation where a car stops working suddenly or has mechanical problems.

Examples:

I was driving to work when the car broke down.
The car broke down in the middle of the highway.
If the car breaks down, we'll have to call a tow truck.
She was late because her car broke down on the way to the meeting.
We need to get the car checked before it breaks down again.

Alternatives:

the car stopped working
the car had a breakdown
the car had mechanical issues
the car malfunctioned
the car had engine trouble

Answer 1

the car broke down

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

Answer 2

the car break down

This phrase is incorrect in English. The verb should be in the past tense, as in "broke down."

"the car broke down" vs "the car break down"

the car broke down

the car break down

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