B2 noun Informel

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.

Exemples

3 sur 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.

Famille de mots

Verb
break
Adjectif
broke
Apparenté
bankruptcy
💡

Astuce mémo

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 rapide

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

Correct !

La bonne réponse est : broke

Exemples

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.

Famille de mots

Verb
break
Adjectif
broke
Apparenté
bankruptcy

Collocations courantes

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)

Phrases Courantes

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

Souvent confondu avec

broke vs broken

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

📝

Notes d'usage

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.

⚠️

Erreurs courantes

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.

💡

Astuce mémo

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.

📖

Origine du mot

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

Modèles grammaticaux

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')
🌍

Contexte culturel

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

Quiz rapide

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

Correct !

La bonne réponse est : broke

Mots lis

unknown

A1

A person or thing that is not known, recognized, or familiar. It often refers to a mysterious situation or a person who has not yet achieved fame or success.

of

A1

A preposition used to show a relationship between a part and a whole, or to indicate belonging and origin. It connects a noun or pronoun to another part of the sentence to specify which one or what kind.

in

A1

A preposition used to indicate position within a container, a space, an area, or a period of time. It describes being surrounded by something or being inside the boundaries of a location.

it

A1

A third-person singular pronoun used to refer to an object, animal, or situation that has already been mentioned or is clear from context. It is also frequently used as a dummy subject to talk about time, weather, or distance.

on

A1

A preposition used to indicate that something is in a position above and supported by a surface. It is also used to indicate a specific day or date, or to show that a device is functioning.

as

A1

A conjunction used to compare two things that are equal in some way. It is most commonly used in the pattern 'as + adjective/adverb + as' to show similarity.

this

A1

Used to identify a specific person, thing, or idea that is physically close to the speaker or has just been mentioned. It can also refer to the present time or a situation that is currently happening.

by

A1

A preposition used to show the method or means of doing something, or to identify the person or thing that performs an action. It frequently appears in passive sentences to indicate the agent or before modes of transport.

we

A1

The word 'we' is a first-person plural pronoun used to refer to the speaker and one or more other people collectively. It is used as the subject of a sentence or clause.

or

A1

A coordinating conjunction used to connect two or more possibilities or alternatives. it indicates that only one of the options is likely, required, or true.

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