B2 noun Informal

broke

/broʊk/

To be without money; experiencing a complete lack of funds, often used to describe a temporary state before one receives a paycheck or more money. In a broader context, it can describe a business that has become insolvent or bankrupt.

Ejemplos

3 de 5
1

I'm sorry, I can't go to the concert tonight because I'm completely broke.

I'm sorry, I can't go to the concert tonight because I'm completely broke.

2

The court heard evidence that the defendant was broke and unable to satisfy the judgment.

The court heard evidence that the defendant was broke and unable to satisfy the judgment.

3

I was flat broke by the end of my vacation in Europe.

I was flat broke by the end of my vacation in Europe.

Familia de palabras

Verb
break
Adjetivo
broke
Relacionado
bankruptcy
💡

Truco para recordar

Think of the word 'Broke' as being 'Broken' but for your bank account. When your wallet is broken and nothing comes out, you are broke.

Quiz rápido

After paying his rent and all his bills, Mark was completely ____ until his next paycheck.

¡Correcto!

La respuesta correcta es: broke

Ejemplos

1

I'm sorry, I can't go to the concert tonight because I'm completely broke.

everyday

I'm sorry, I can't go to the concert tonight because I'm completely broke.

2

The court heard evidence that the defendant was broke and unable to satisfy the judgment.

formal

The court heard evidence that the defendant was broke and unable to satisfy the judgment.

3

I was flat broke by the end of my vacation in Europe.

informal

I was flat broke by the end of my vacation in Europe.

4

The economic study focused on the percentage of college graduates who are broke within six months of graduation.

academic

The economic study focused on the percentage of college graduates who are broke within six months of graduation.

5

The startup went broke after they failed to secure a second round of venture capital funding.

business

The startup went broke after they failed to secure a second round of venture capital funding.

Familia de palabras

Verb
break
Adjetivo
broke
Relacionado
bankruptcy

Colocaciones comunes

go broke to lose all one's money or become bankrupt
flat broke completely without money
stone broke totally penniless
virtually broke almost entirely without funds
stony broke completely without money (British variant)

Frases Comunes

broke as a joke

having absolutely no money at all

go for broke

to risk everything in an all-out effort

if it ain't broke, don't fix it

if something is working well, do not try to change it

Se confunde a menudo con

broke vs broken

'Broke' specifically refers to having no money, whereas 'broken' refers to something damaged or not working.

📝

Notas de uso

While 'broke' is very common in everyday conversation, it is considered informal. In professional or academic writing, use 'insolvent' or 'bankrupt' to describe businesses, and 'penniless' or 'impoverished' for individuals.

⚠️

Errores comunes

Learners often use 'broke' to describe a damaged phone (e.g., 'My phone is broke'); while common in some dialects, 'broken' is the grammatically correct choice for damaged objects.

💡

Truco para recordar

Think of the word 'Broke' as being 'Broken' but for your bank account. When your wallet is broken and nothing comes out, you are broke.

📖

Origen de la palabra

Derived from the past participle of the verb 'break', suggesting that one's financial state has been shattered or interrupted.

Patrones gramaticales

Used as a predicative adjective (after verbs like 'be', 'get', or 'go') Cannot typically be used as an attributive adjective before a noun (e.g., we say 'he is broke', not 'the broke man')
🌍

Contexto cultural

In many Western cultures, being 'broke' is a common trope for university students, often referred to as being a 'broke college student'.

Quiz rápido

After paying his rent and all his bills, Mark was completely ____ until his next paycheck.

¡Correcto!

La respuesta correcta es: broke

Palabras relacionadas

pale

A1

Describes something that has very little color or is much lighter than usual. It is often used to describe a person's face when they are ill or a color that is mixed with a lot of white.

lung

A1

The lungs are two organs inside your chest that you use to breathe. They bring oxygen into your body and remove carbon dioxide when you breathe out.

tropical

A1

Relating to the hot regions of the Earth near the equator. It describes weather that is very warm and wet, or plants and animals that come from these areas.

trader

A1

A trader is a person whose job is to buy and sell goods, stocks, or other items for profit. They can work in a small local market or on large international financial exchanges.

indoor

A1

Describes something that is located, happens, or is used inside a building rather than outside. It is an adjective used before a noun to talk about activities or objects protected from the weather.

threshold

A1

A threshold is the physical area at the bottom of a doorway that you step over to enter a room or building. It also refers to the level or point at which something starts to happen or changes.

tribute

A1

A tribute is something that you say, do, or give to show your respect and admiration for someone. It is often a public act used to honor a person's life, work, or memory.

elder

A1

Used to describe a person who is older than another, especially within a family. It is also used to refer to people who have a high status or more experience because of their age.

russian

A1

Relating to Russia, its people, its language, or its culture. It describes things that come from or are connected to the largest country in the world.

southeastern

A1

Located in or coming from the direction between south and east. It describes a place, a region, or a wind that is in the corner between the bottom and the right on a map.

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