German Conversation · Level 59
75 words
German word
kaputtmachen
Pronunciation
IPA/kaˈpʊtˌmaxən/
Meaning
- verbbreak
Example
Ich mache das kaputt.
I'm breaking it.
More examples
Er macht das Vertrauen seiner Kollegin kaputt.
He is breaking his colleague's trust.
Core concept
A person handles an object so roughly that its working form or function is lost.
Common phrases
das Vertrauen kaputtmachen
break trust
ein Versprechen kaputtmachen
break a promise
einen Plan kaputtmachen
ruin a plan
Similar words
kaputtgehen: To develop a fault or become broken through wear or internal failure.
beschädigen: To inflict damage on an object that impairs its function or appearance.
zerstören: To ruin an object's structure so completely that its intended use is lost.
brechen: To break or fracture something by exerting physical force.
Definition in German
ein trennbares, transitives Verb, das das aktive Herbeiführen von Beschädigung oder Zerstörung an einem Gegenstand bezeichnet
Word origin
Kaputtmachen is formed from the borrowed adjective kaputt and the inherited Germanic verb machen, so its structure expresses making something kaputt.
Usage tips
- Kaputtmachen is transitive, whereas kaputtgehen describes an object becoming broken without naming an external agent: Das Gerät geht kaputt.