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Japan Know How

This is broken in Japanese

This is broken in Japanese

壊れています

In kana only: こわれています

kowarete imasu

polite

What it literally says

it is in a broken state

Japanese politeness is mostly built out of phrases that stopped being literal a long time ago. Knowing what is underneath is the difference between repeating a sound and knowing what you said.

When to use it

For a machine, a lock, or a thing you have just bought.

Next in Lost Things and Trouble

The rest of the phrasebook

All 337 phrases →