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How to Say ‘Is it broken’ in German

Ist es kaputt

ist ess kah-PUHT

[ist ess kah-PUHT]

💬 Usage Tip: In a full question, German often puts the verb first: "Ist es kaputt?" Question mode activated.

🇩🇪 In Germany: A landlord or repair person may ask quick yes/no questions like this to diagnose the issue.

Phrase Breakdown

Ist

[ist]

is

A form of sein used in questions and statements.

Example

Ist das Warmwasser nur im Bad kalt?

Is the hot water cold only in the bathroom?

es

[ess]

it

A pronoun referring to a thing or situation, like the water or boiler.

Example

Ist es nur heute kaputt?

Is it broken only today?

kaputt

[kah-PUHT]

broken

Used for something not working properly.

Example

Ist es kaputt oder nur ausgeschaltet?

Is it broken or just switched off?

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