고장나다

고장나다 is one of the most useful verbs you will learn in Korean! It combines 고장 (breakdown/trouble) and 나다 (to occur/happen). Think of it as 'a breakdown happens' to an object.

It is used for almost any mechanical or electrical item. If your computer screen goes black or your toaster stops heating up, it has 고장났다. It is a very natural, everyday word that you will hear constantly in Korea.

The term is rooted in the Sino-Korean word 고장 (故障), where 고 means 'hindrance' and 장 means 'obstacle'. Historically, this referred to any disruption in a system.

Over time, the auxiliary verb 나다 was added to signify that the state of 'brokenness' has emerged or manifested. It evolved from describing abstract problems to specifically covering the mechanical failures of the industrial age.

You use 고장나다 when talking about objects like cars, TVs, or watches. It is not used for people; if a person is sick, we use 아프다.

Commonly, you will say [Object]이/가 고장났어요. It is neutral in formality, making it perfect for both talking to friends and telling a repair technician about your broken device.

While it is a literal verb, it is used in phrases like 고장난명 (a hand cannot clap alone) which uses the same 고장 root to mean 'it takes two to tango'. Another common expression is 고장난 시계 (a broken clock), often used to describe someone who is accidentally right twice a day.

This is an intransitive verb, meaning it doesn't take an object directly. You use the subject particle 이/가 before it. For example, 컴퓨터가 고장났어요 (The computer broke).

Pronunciation is straightforward: go-jang-na-da. The 'ng' sound in jang should be soft, and the final 'da' is crisp.