How To Say It’s Broken In Spanish

In Spanish, “Está roto/rota” fits most objects, and “Se rompió” works when something just broke.

You’ve got a phone with a cracked screen. A chair leg snaps. A zipper gives up mid-trip. In English, “It’s broken” covers all of it. Spanish gives you more than one clean option, and picking the right one depends on what you mean: is it broken right now, or did it break a moment ago?

This page gives you the core phrases, how to match gender and number, when to use a verb instead of an adjective, and a handful of ready-to-say sentences you can copy in real life.

What Spanish Words Cover “Broken”

Spanish often uses an adjective to describe the current state: “broken” as a condition. That’s where roto comes in. You’ll hear it with estar: Está roto (“It’s broken”).

Spanish can also name the action that happened: “it broke.” That uses the verb romper (“to break”) in a past form: Se rompió (“It broke”). This choice feels natural when you’re telling what happened, not just what you see.

Two Core Phrases You Can Rely On

Está roto / Está rota — “It’s broken” (state right now).
Se rompió — “It broke” (the moment or event).

If you’re stuck, Está roto is the safest all-purpose answer for objects. Then add detail with a second sentence if you want: No enciende (“It won’t turn on”), No funciona (“It doesn’t work”).

How To Say It’s Broken In Spanish For Everyday Items

Use estar + roto when you’re pointing at something and naming its condition. This is what you’ll say at a store, at a hotel front desk, or when you hand something to a friend and shrug.

Match Gender: Roto vs Rota

Adjectives change to match the noun. If the thing is grammatically masculine, use roto. If it’s feminine, use rota.

El teléfono (masculine): Está roto.
La pantalla (feminine): Está rota.

Match Number: Rotos vs Rotas

When you’re talking about more than one thing, add -s.

Los audífonos: Están rotos.
Las gafas: Están rotas.

Short Replies That Sound Natural

If you want a compact answer, Spanish loves short, complete sentences. Try these:

Está roto. — “It’s broken.”
Se rompió. — “It broke.”
Se me rompió. — “It broke on me.”

Se me rompió is handy when you want to say it happened while you were using it, without blaming yourself. That little me points to “on me / to me.”

Roto, Quebrado, Dañado, Averiado: Which One Should You Pick

Spanish gives you a few “broken-ish” adjectives. They overlap, but each has a feel that fits certain situations.

Roto

Roto is the plain, common “broken.” It works for objects that don’t function, things that have snapped, and items that are damaged enough to call unusable.

Quebrado

Quebrado often points to something that has cracked, shattered, or fractured. Glass, ceramics, and bones are common matches. Many speakers use roto and quebrado in similar ways, so you won’t sound odd if you choose either.

Dañado

Dañado means “damaged.” It’s great when something still works but has a problem: a scratched suitcase, a dented car door, a scuffed laptop shell.

Averiado

Averiado is common for machines and systems that aren’t working properly: appliances, cars, elevators, printers. If you’re talking about a device with an internal issue, this word fits well.

When To Use A Verb: “It Broke” Instead Of “It’s Broken”

English often stays in the present: “It’s broken.” Spanish often tells the story: “It broke.” Use Se rompió when you mean the breaking event matters.

Se rompió

Se rompió is the simple past. It’s perfect when you just discovered the problem or you’re explaining what happened.

Se rompió la cremallera. — “The zipper broke.”
Se rompió la silla. — “The chair broke.”

Se me rompió

This form adds the person affected. It’s common in everyday speech and often sounds less accusatory than “I broke it.”

Se me rompió el vaso. — “The glass broke on me.”
Se me rompieron las gafas. — “My glasses broke on me.”

Lo rompí

Lo rompí means “I broke it.” Use it when you want to take responsibility or when the context requires it.

Perdón, lo rompí. — “Sorry, I broke it.”

Table Of Go-To Phrases For “Broken”

Use this chart as a pick-from list when you’re speaking on the spot.

Spanish Phrase	When To Say It	Notes
Está roto / Está rota	You’re describing the state right now	Most universal option for objects
Están rotos / Están rotas	More than one item is broken	Match gender and number
Se rompió	You’re saying it broke	Focus on what happened
Se me rompió	It broke while you were using it	Common, natural, soft on blame
Está quebrado / Está quebrada	Cracked or shattered items	Often used for glass or ceramics
Está dañado / Está dañada	Damaged, maybe still usable	Good for scratches, dents, wear
Está averiado / Está averiada	A device or system isn’t working	Appliances, cars, printers
No funciona	Something doesn’t work	Pairs well after “Está roto”
No enciende	Something won’t turn on	Phones, TVs, laptops, lamps

Pronunciation Tips That Prevent Awkward Moments

You don’t need a perfect accent to be understood. A few small targets help a lot.

Roto

Say RO-to. The Spanish r here is a light tap, not a long roll. The o is a pure “oh” sound.

Rompió

Rompió has stress on the last syllable: rom-PIÓ. That accent mark tells you where to punch it.

Dañado

The ñ sounds like “ny” in “canyon.” Say da-NYA-do.

Common Situations And The Best Spanish Line To Use

Let’s map the phrase to the moment. Pick the one that matches what you’re trying to do.

At A Store Or Return Desk

State the condition first, then the problem.

Está roto. No funciona. — “It’s broken. It doesn’t work.”
Está dañado. Venía así. — “It’s damaged. It came like this.”

At A Hotel Or Rental

Keep it calm and clear. Mention the item, then the issue.

La cerradura está rota. — “The lock is broken.”
El aire acondicionado está averiado. — “The air conditioner isn’t working.”

When You Just Saw It Happen

Use the verb form. It sounds immediate.

Se rompió. — “It broke.”
Se me rompió la correa. — “The strap broke on me.”

When You Need Help Fixing It

Pair “broken” with a simple request.

¿Puedes arreglarlo? — “Can you fix it?”
¿Me lo puedes cambiar? — “Can you exchange it for me?”

Table Of Ready-To-Use Sentences

These lines cover the most common items people mention. Swap the noun to fit your case.

English	Spanish	Tip
It’s broken.	Está roto.	Use rota with feminine nouns
It broke.	Se rompió.	Best when talking about what happened
My phone screen is broken.	La pantalla de mi teléfono está rota.	Screen is feminine: rota
The zipper broke.	Se rompió la cremallera.	Common in travel and clothing
The elevator isn’t working.	El ascensor está averiado.	Good for systems and machines
The glass cracked.	El vaso se quebró.	quebrarse fits “crack/shatter”
These headphones are broken.	Estos audífonos están rotos.	Plural masculine: rotos
The lock is damaged.	La cerradura está dañada.	Damaged, not always fully broken
I’m sorry, it broke on me.	Perdón, se me rompió.	Short and polite

Small Grammar Moves That Make You Sound Smooth

Once you know the main phrase, these tweaks make your Spanish feel cleaner.

Use The Article When You Name The Item

Spanish often uses el or la where English uses “my” or nothing at all. Both ways work, but articles sound natural in many settings.

Se me rompió el teléfono. — “My phone broke on me.”
Se me rompió la llave. — “My key broke on me.”

Say What’s Wrong In One Extra Clause

If “broken” feels too broad, add one short detail. It helps the listener understand the issue fast.

Está roto y no carga. — “It’s broken and it won’t charge.”
Está roto, la tapa no cierra. — “It’s broken, the lid won’t close.”

Choose “Arreglar” For Fixing

Arreglar is the everyday verb for “to fix.” Pair it with your broken phrase:

¿Puedes arreglar esta puerta? Está rota.
No puedo arreglarlo; está roto del todo.

Practice In 10 Seconds: Build Your Own Sentence

Use this simple pattern and swap in the noun you need:

Pick the noun: el cargador, la lámpara, los zapatos.
Choose state or event: está / están or se rompió / se me rompió.
Match the adjective if you used estar: roto/rota/rotos/rotas.

Now say it out loud a few times. Your mouth learns the rhythm faster than your eyes.

Mistakes Learners Make With “Broken” In Spanish

These are common slip-ups that cause confusion. Fix them once and you’re set.

Using “Es roto”

Don’t use ser here. Broken is a condition, so you want estar: Está roto, not Es roto.

Forgetting Gender On The Adjective

La puerta está roto sounds off because puerta is feminine. Make it La puerta está rota.

Overusing One Word For Every Case

Roto works a lot of the time, but machines often sound better with averiado. And when something just happened, se rompió often feels more natural than a plain adjective.

Mini Phrase Bank For Repairs, Replacements, And Complaints

When you’re dealing with a broken item, you usually need one extra line. Here are short add-ons that fit many scenes.

No sirve. — “It’s no good / It’s useless.”
¿Tiene garantía? — “Does it have a warranty?”
¿Me lo cambias? — “Will you exchange it for me?”
¿Me devuelves el dinero? — “Will you refund me?”
Necesito un repuesto. — “I need a replacement part.”

Recap For Real Conversations

When you see a broken object and want the fastest correct Spanish, go with Está roto/rota. When you want to say what happened, use Se rompió. Add me in Se me rompió when it broke while you were using it.

Stick to those, and you’ll be understood in shops, travel, school, and day-to-day life. Then, as your Spanish grows, you can swap in dañado for “damaged” and averiado for “out of order.”