break
gb/bɹˈeɪk/ us/bɹˈeɪk/
A1
Kiingereza
~ 2200
Maana
maana 0
Kitenzi
A2
action
1
Cause to separate into pieces
To make something come apart into pieces by hitting, dropping, or bending it.
Muundo wa matumizi:
to break [something]
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners sometimes confuse 'break' with 'destroy'. 'Destroy' means to ruin completely, while 'break' means to make something come apart or stop working.
Visawe
shatter (Implies breaking into many small, sharp pieces, often with force and noise.)
Vinyume
repair (Means to fix something that is broken so it can be used again.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
break a glass
|break a bone
|break the window
|break a plate
Mada
daily life
|objects
|accidents
|core_vocabulary
Mifano
- Be careful not to break the vase.
- She broke her phone when she dropped it on the floor.
- The kids accidentally broke the window while playing.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- I broke my cup.
- He broke the chair.
- We broke the door by mistake.
Kitenzi
A2
action
2
Stop briefly from activity
To stop doing something for a short time to rest or do something else.
Muundo wa matumizi:
to break for [something]
Visawe
pause (A more general term for stopping briefly, often without physical rest.)
Vinyume
continue (Means to keep doing something without stopping.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
break for lunch
|break the meeting
|break for coffee
Mada
daily life
|work
|time
|daily_life
Mifano
- Let's break for lunch at noon.
- The teacher broke the class for a short break.
- We broke the meeting to take some calls.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- We break for lunch at 12.
- The class breaks at 10:30.
- Let's break now.
Kitenzi
A2
action
3
Cause to stop working
To make something not work anymore.
Muundo wa matumizi:
to break [machine/device]
Visawe
damage (A broader term that can mean harm without complete failure.)
Vinyume
fix (Means to repair something so it works again.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
break the computer
|break the engine
|break the lock
Mada
technology
|daily life
|daily_life
Mifano
- She broke her laptop by spilling coffee on it.
- The storm broke the satellite dish.
- I think I broke the printer when I tried to fix it.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- I broke my phone.
- He broke the TV.
- We broke the car engine.
Nomino
A1
event
4
Short rest from activity
A short time when you stop working or doing something.
Visawe
pause (A shorter or less formal stop than a full break.)
Vinyume
continuation (Means carrying on without stopping.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
coffee break
|lunch break
|short break
Mada
daily life
|work
|time
|daily_life
Mifano
- Let's take a coffee break before we continue.
- The workers get two breaks each day.
- After a short break, they went back to work.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- We have a break at 3 pm.
- Let's take a short break.
- I need a break now.
Kitenzi
B1
action
5
Fail to follow rule/agreement
To not do what a rule, law, or promise says you must do.
Muundo wa matumizi:
to break [law/rule/promise]
Visawe
violate (More formal term used in legal contexts.)
Vinyume
keep (Means to honor or follow a rule or promise.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
break the law
|break a promise
|break the rules
Mada
law
|ethics
|core_vocabulary
Mifano
- He broke the law by driving without a license.
- You shouldn't break your promises.
- They broke the agreement after just one month.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- Don't break the rules.
- He broke his promise.
- We broke the law.
Kitenzi
B1
action
6
Interrupt continuity of something
To stop something that is going on without pause.
Visawe
interrupt (General term for stopping a continuous action or state.)
Vinyume
maintain (Means to keep something going without interruption.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
break the silence
|break concentration
|break the line
Mada
communication
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Mifano
- She broke the silence with a sudden laugh.
- His phone call broke my concentration.
- The fence was broken by the fallen tree.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- He broke my sleep.
- The noise broke the silence.
- She broke my thinking.
Kitenzi
A2
event
7
Separate into pieces unintentionally
To come apart into pieces by accident or because it is weak.
Visawe
snap (Often refers to quick breaking with a sharp sound.)
Vinyume
hold together (Means to remain whole and unbroken.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
rope breaks
|stick breaks
|glass breaks
Mada
daily life
|core_vocabulary
Mifano
- The rope broke under the weight.
- My glasses broke when I fell.
- The branch broke in the wind.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- The glass broke.
- The tree branch broke in the wind.
- My pen broke.
Sarufi
Umbo la kamusi
break
IPA
GB/bɹˈeɪk/
US/bɹˈeɪk/
Silabi na mkazo
break (silabi 1)
Stress on 1st syllable (break)
Maumbo ya neno
Noun
- Base: break
- Plural: break, breaks
Verb
- Base: break
- 3rd Person Singular: breaks
- Present Participle: breaking
- Past: broke
- Past Participle: broken
Familia ya neno
Forms
Core family
breakable
adjective B1
Related words
breakdown
noun B1
breakthrough
noun B2
Negative and opposite forms
unbreakable
adjective
unbroken
adjective B1
Advanced or less common
breakage
noun
Vidokezo muhimu
- Irregular past: broke Verb
- Irregular past participle: broken Verb
Semi
break up
1/bɹˈeɪk ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
End relationship or disperse group
To end a romantic relationship, or to make people in a group go away from each other.
Mifano
- They decided to break up after five years together.
- The police broke up the crowd.
give me a break
1/ɡˈɪv mˈi ə bɹˈeɪk/
idiom
informal
Request relief or express disbelief/impatience
'Stop bothering me' or 'I don't believe that' depending on context.
Mifano
- Oh, give me a break! That can't be true.
- Give me a break, I've been working all day!
take a break
1/tˈeɪk ə bɹˈeɪk/
fixed phrase
Stop temporarily for rest/refreshment
To stop what you are doing for a short time so you can rest.
Mifano
- Let's take a break before we continue working.
- You should take a break if you feel tired.
break into
1/bɹˈeɪk ˈɪntu/
phrasal verb
Enter illegally or start suddenly
To go into a place by force without permission, or suddenly start doing something like singing or laughing.
Mifano
- Someone broke into their house last night.
- Someone tried to break into our house last night.
- Thieves broke into the store and stole jewelry.
- He broke into laughter during the speech.
break down
1/bɹˈeɪk dˈaʊn/
phrasal verb
Stop working or collapse emotionally
When a machine stops working, or when a person starts crying or cannot control emotions anymore.
Mifano
- My car broke down on the way home.
- Our car broke down on the way to the airport.
- She broke down in tears when she heard the news.
- Let me break down the process so everyone can understand it.
- The washing machine has broken down again.
- She broke down in tears after hearing the news.
- The washing machine keeps breaking down, so we need a new one.
- He tried to stay calm but finally broke down during the interview.
- The teacher broke the problem down into three simple questions.
- The bus broke down in the middle of the journey and everyone had to get off.
- After days of stress, he broke down and asked for help.
- The article breaks down the new law in clear language.