How to Say ‘That machine broke last week.’ in Traditional Chinese
那台機器上禮拜就壞了。
nà tái jī qì shàng lǐ bài jiù huài le
[nà tái jīqì shahng lǐbài jyoh huài le]
💬 Usage Tip: The 就 (jiù) here means "already, as early as" — it implies the machine has been broken for a while. Time words like 上禮拜 go before the verb, not at the end.
Phrase Breakdown
那台機器
nà tái jī qì
that machine
那 (that) + 台 (measure word for machines and appliances) + 機器 (machine).
那台機器很舊。
That machine is very old.
Words in this phrase
那
nà
[nà]
that
A demonstrative pronoun used to refer to a specific thing.
那房子是我的。
That house is mine.
台
tái
[tái]
classifier for machines
Measure word for machines, vehicles, and devices.
我買了一台電腦。
I bought a computer.
機器
jī qì
[jīqì]
machine
A mechanical or electronic device.
這台機器很新。
This machine is new.
上禮拜就壞了。
shàng lǐ bài jiù huài le
already broke down last week
上禮拜 is the common Taiwanese way to say 'last week'. 就 stresses that it happened early, and 壞了 means 'broke'.
我的手機上禮拜就壞了。
My phone already broke last week.
Words in this phrase
上
shàng
[shahng]
last; previous
Used before time words to mean the one before now.
上個月你很忙。
You were very busy last month.
禮拜
lǐ bài
[lǐbài]
week
Colloquial word for week, common in Taiwan.
下禮拜我要出國。
I'm going abroad next week.
就
jiù
[jyoh]
just; then; simply
A flexible adverb that often means 'just' or emphasizes a simple or immediate choice.
一杯啤酒就可以了。
Just one beer is fine.
壞
huài
[huài]
broken
Not working; damaged.
我的手機壞了。
My phone is broken.
了
le
[le]
completed action marker
Indicates an action has been completed.
他已經走了。
He has already left.
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