- Dictionary
break
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., acheter).
2. (medicine)
a. se casser
Alice broke her leg when she fell off her bicycle.Alice s'est cassé la jambe en tombant de son vélo.
b. se fracturer
Malcolm was afraid he'd broken his ankle, but it was only a sprain.Malcolm craignait de s'être fracturé la cheville, mais ce n'était qu'une entorse.
a. casser
The plumber accidentally broke the boiler, and now we can't shower.Le plombier a cassé la chaudière par inadvertance, et maintenant, on ne peut pas prendre de douche.
a. violer
You've broken at least five company rules, including the dress code.Vous avez violé au moins cinq règles de l'entreprise, y compris le code vestimentaire.
b. rompre
Workers accuse the company of breaking their contract.Les salariés accusent l'entreprise d'avoir rompu leur contrat.
c. dépasser (for a threshold)
If you get caught breaking the speed limit, you'll get a ticket.Si tu te fais prendre en train de dépasser la limite de vitesse, tu recevras une contravention.
6. (to tame)
a. dresser
The trainer broke the horse so that it could be ridden.Le dresseur a dressé le cheval pour qu'il puisse être monté.
8. (figurative) (to destroy)
A phrase used as a figure of speech or a word that is symbolic in meaning (e.g., to pull someone's leg).
a. démolir (figurative)
A phrase used as a figure of speech or a word that is symbolic in meaning (e.g., to pull someone's leg).
Don't cross me, Cassandra, or I will break you.Ne me cherche pas, Cassandra, ou je te démolis.
10. (to divide)
a. dépareiller
If I break the set, I'll be able to make more money by selling individual pieces.Si je dépareille cette collection, je pourrai gagner plus d'argent en vendant les pièces séparément.
11. (colloquial) (to give smaller coins or bills in exchange for)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. faire la monnaie sur
Could you break this 50-dollar bill for me?Pourriez-vous me faire la monnaie sur ce billet de 50 dollars ?
12. (to decrypt)
a. déchiffrer
If we break this code, we'll get out of the escape room!Si on déchiffre ce code, on va pouvoir sortir de l'escape room !
13. (to escape from)
a. s'évader de
A group of prisoners was planning to break jail over the weekend.Un groupe de détenus prévoyait de s'évader de prison ce week-end.
14. (to make public)
a. annoncer
A local TV station broke the news of the famous couple's marriage.C'est une chaîne de télévision locale qui a annoncé la nouvelle du mariage de ce couple célèbre.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., éternuer.).
16. (to pause)
a. faire une pause
Let's break for lunch and continue in an hour.Faisons une pause pour le déjeuner et reprenons dans une heure.
a. muer
My son's voice keeps breaking. Now, he speaks even less than before!La voix de mon fils n'arrête pas de muer. Maintenant, il parle encore moins qu'avant !
18. (to appear)
A noun is a word that refers to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., femme, chat, maison).
20. (pause)
a. la pause (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. French nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la dame or la lune) or masculine (like l'homme or le soleil).
The professor gives us a 10-minute break in the middle of class.Le professeur nous accorde une pause de 10 minutes au milieu du cours.
21. (vacation)
a. les vacances (F) (plural)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. French nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la dame or la lune) or masculine (like l'homme or le soleil).
A word or phrase that is plural (e.g., les livres).
Are you going anywhere for spring break?Tu pars quelque part pour les vacances de printemps ?
22. (opportunity)
a. la chance (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. French nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la dame or la lune) or masculine (like l'homme or le soleil).
Luke took a job at the famous restaurant hoping the chef would give him his break.Luke a accepté un poste dans ce célèbre restaurant dans l'espoir que le chef lui donnerait sa chance.
23. (medicine)
a. la fracture (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. French nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la dame or la lune) or masculine (like l'homme or le soleil).
Luckily, the break isn't serious. I'll be walking again soon.Heureusement, la fracture n'est pas grave. Je pourrai bientôt remarcher.
24. (crack)
a. la cassure (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. French nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la dame or la lune) or masculine (like l'homme or le soleil).
A clean break ran across the glass panel.Une cassure nette traversait le panneau de verre.
25. (gap)
a. l'ouverture (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. French nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la dame or la lune) or masculine (like l'homme or le soleil).
We found a break in the hedge to get through.On a trouvé une ouverture dans la haie pour passer.
a. la séparation (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. French nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la dame or la lune) or masculine (like l'homme or le soleil).
Virginie took the break in stride.Virginie a accepté cette séparation sans sourciller.
b. la rupture (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. French nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la dame or la lune) or masculine (like l'homme or le soleil).
I don't know what caused the break between them, but Alain and Pascal are no longer friends.Je ne sais pas ce qui a provoqué la rupture entre eux, mais Alain et Pascal ne sont plus amis.
27. (escape)
a. l'évasion (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. French nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la dame or la lune) or masculine (like l'homme or le soleil).
Be careful. There was a break at the prison, and the police still haven't caught one of the fugitives.Faites attention. Il y a eu une évasion à la prison et la police n'a toujours pas attrapé l'un des fugitifs.
28. (weather)
a. le changement (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. French nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la dame or la lune) or masculine (like l'homme or le soleil).
After six burning-hot days, there was finally a break in the weather.Après six jours de chaleur torride, il y a enfin eu un changement de météo.
a. la récréation (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. French nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la dame or la lune) or masculine (like l'homme or le soleil).
Why is the break so short and maths class so long?Pourquoi la récréation est-elle si courte et le cours de maths si long ?
Conjugations
Indicative of "break"
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Collins English Verb Conjugation Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2023
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