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壊れる

こわれる

to be broken, to break

Ichidan verbJLPT N4

Example Sentences

My radio broke yesterday.
The refrigerator is broken.
I hope my smartphone doesn't break.

Grammar Notes & Usage Tips

壊れる is used when something breaks on its own, so the thing that breaks takes the が particle (e.g., テレビが壊れた = The TV broke).
Don’t use 壊れる to say “I broke it” — that would be 壊す (the active version), so make sure to use 壊れる only for when something breaks without saying who did it.
To show when or where something broke, you can add time or place with に or で (e.g., 昨日、学校でスマホが壊れた = My phone broke at school yesterday).
JLPT N4 level

Common Phrases & Expressions

テレビが壊れた
The TV broke
時計が壊れている
The clock is broken
スマホが壊れそう
My smartphone is about to break

Complete Conjugation Table

Basic Forms

Dictionary Form
壊れる
Masu Form
壊れます
Te Form
壊れて
Past Form
壊れた
Negative Form
壊れない
Past Negative
壊れなかった

Polite Forms

Polite Present
壊れます
Polite Past
壊れました
Polite Negative
壊れません
Polite Past Negative
壊れませんでした

Advanced Forms

Potential Form
壊れられる
Passive Form
壊れられる
Causative Form
壊れさせる
Causative Passive
壊れさせられる
Volitional Form
壊れよう
Imperative Form
壊れろ

Conditional Forms

Conditional (ば)
壊れれば
Conditional (たら)
壊れたら

Other Forms

Progressive Form
壊れている
Desire (たい)
壊れたい
Prohibition
壊れるな

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