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A1 adjective #2,800 most common 5 min read

kaputt

Top 2,800

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips kaputt in 30 Seconds

Explanation kaputt in your Level:

At the A1 level, 'kaputt' is one of the most useful words you can learn. It helps you describe simple problems in daily life. You use it to say that your phone, your bike, or your toy is not working. The grammar is easy: just use 'ist' or 'sind' + 'kaputt'. You don't need to worry about complex endings here. It's a 'survival word' for when things go wrong in a German-speaking environment. You might also learn 'Ich bin kaputt' to tell your teacher or friends that you are very tired after a long day of learning German.

At A2, you start using 'kaputt' with more verbs like 'kaputtgehen' (to break) and 'kaputtmachen' (to make broken/to break something). You learn that 'kaputt' is often used in the past tense: 'Gestern ist meine Lampe kaputtgegangen.' You also begin to see it in more contexts, such as describing clothes that are torn or shoes that are worn out. You start to distinguish between 'kaputt' (broken) and 'müde' (tired), using 'kaputt' for that 'bone-tired' feeling.

By B1, you use 'kaputt' more flexibly in conversation. You understand the difference between the colloquial 'kaputt' and the more formal 'defekt'. You can use it to describe abstract things, like a 'kaputte Beziehung' (a broken relationship) or a 'kaputter Plan'. You also start to use reflexive constructions like 'sich kaputtlachen' (to laugh oneself to death/laugh heartily). You are expected to use the correct attributive endings if you place it before a noun, like 'der kaputte Motor'.

At B2, you recognize 'kaputt' in idiomatic expressions and more complex sentence structures. You might use it to describe economic situations ('Die Wirtschaft ist kaputt') or psychological states. You understand the nuance of 'kaputt-prefix' verbs like 'kaputtschlagen' (to smash) or 'kaputtschreien'. You can discuss the social implications of a 'Wegwerfgesellschaft' (throwaway society) where things are quickly declared 'kaputt' instead of being repaired.

At C1, 'kaputt' is used with stylistic precision. You might use it ironically or to create a specific atmosphere in writing. You understand its etymological roots and how it has shaped German slang. You can analyze texts where 'kaputt' describes the moral decay of a character or a society. You are comfortable using it in the passive voice or with modal verbs in complex scenarios, such as 'Das hätte nicht kaputtgehen dürfen.'

At the C2 level, you have a near-native grasp of 'kaputt'. You understand its use in high literature and philosophy to describe the 'fragmented' nature of modern existence. You can use it in wordplay and puns. You are aware of regional variations and the most obscure idioms involving the word. You can effortlessly switch between 'kaputt' and its many synonyms (marode, hinfällig, ruinös) to convey exact shades of meaning in academic or literary contexts.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

kaputt in 30 Seconds

Kaputt means broken or out of order for objects.
It means extremely tired or exhausted for people.
It is mostly used with 'sein' (to be) and stays the same.
Common verbs: kaputtgehen (to break) and kaputtmachen (to break something).

The word kaputt is perhaps one of the most famous German exports into the English language, yet its usage in German is far more nuanced and frequent. At its core, it describes a state of non-functionality. Whether it is a mechanical failure, a physical exhaustion, or a metaphorical collapse, kaputt serves as the ultimate descriptor for something that is no longer working as intended.

Physical Objects: When a machine, a toy, or a tool stops working. Example: 'Der Fernseher ist kaputt.'
Physical State: Used colloquially to describe extreme tiredness. Example: 'Ich bin völlig kaputt.'
Abstract Concepts: Relationships or plans that have failed. Example: 'Unsere Ehe ist kaputt.'

Mein Auto ist kaputt, ich muss den Bus nehmen.

— A common daily frustration

Historically, the word has a fascinating journey. It entered German in the 17th century from the French phrase faire capot, used in card games to mean 'to lose all tricks.' Over centuries, it evolved from a gaming term to a general term for being ruined or broken. In modern German, it is an indeclinable adjective when used predicatively, meaning it doesn't change its ending when following 'sein' (to be).

Die Waschmaschine geht ständig kaputt.

The versatility of kaputt allows it to be paired with various verbs. Kaputtgehen (to break/become broken) and kaputtmachen (to break something intentionally or accidentally) are essential verbs for any learner. It is also used in the phrase kaputtlachen (to die laughing), showing that the word isn't always negative.

Register: It is considered informal to neutral. In highly formal technical reports, you might prefer 'defekt'.

Using kaputt correctly requires understanding its role as a predicative adjective. In the sentence 'Das Glas ist kaputt', the word describes the state of the glass. It is important to note that kaputt does not change its form regardless of the gender or number of the subject when used with 'sein'.

Die Schuhe sind kaputt.

When you want to describe the process of breaking, you use the separable verb kaputtgehen. For example, 'Das Handy ist mir kaputtgegangen' (The phone broke on me). The use of the dative 'mir' suggests it happened accidentally or affected you personally. Conversely, kaputtmachen is used when there is an agent causing the damage: 'Das Kind hat das Spielzeug kaputtgemacht.'

With People: 'Ich bin kaputt' means 'I am exhausted'. It is synonymous with 'müde' but much stronger.
With Relationships: 'Die Beziehung ist kaputt' implies it is beyond repair.

Nach dem Marathon war ich völlig kaputt.

In technical contexts, while kaputt is common, engineers might use defekt or außer Betrieb (out of order). However, in a household setting, kaputt is the king of words. If your internet isn't working, you say: 'Das Internet ist kaputt.' If your bike has a flat tire: 'Mein Fahrrad ist kaputt.'

You will hear kaputt everywhere in Germany. From the supermarket (a broken egg) to the office (a broken printer). It is a staple of everyday conversation. Children use it as soon as they can speak to point out things that don't work.

Entschuldigung, der Fahrkartenautomat ist kaputt.

In German pop culture, the word appears in songs and movies to describe emotional heartbreak or societal decay. The phrase 'Alles kaputt' (Everything is broken) is a common hyperbolic expression used when someone is having a very bad day.

At the Repair Shop: 'Was ist denn kaputt?' (What exactly is broken?)
Among Friends: 'Bist du noch kaputt von gestern?' (Are you still exhausted from yesterday?)

Der Reißverschluss ist kaputt.

Interestingly, kaputt is also used in the world of sports. If a team is 'kaputt', they have lost their stamina and can no longer compete effectively. It signifies a total depletion of resources.

One of the most frequent mistakes for English speakers is trying to decline kaputt like a regular adjective in the predicative position. Remember: 'Das Auto ist kaputt', not 'Das Auto ist kaputtes'.

Confusion with 'Müde': While both mean tired, 'kaputt' is much more intense. Don't say 'Ich bin kaputt' if you just need a short nap; use it when you feel like you can't move a muscle.
Overuse in Formal Writing: In a formal essay or a technical manual, 'kaputt' might sound too colloquial. Use 'defekt' or 'beschädigt' instead.

Falsch: Ein kaputt Computer. Richtig: Ein kaputter Computer.

Another mistake is confusing kaputtgehen and kaputtmachen. If you say 'Ich habe die Uhr kaputtgegangen', it's grammatically wrong. You should say 'Die Uhr ist mir kaputtgegangen' (It happened to me) or 'Ich habe die Uhr kaputtgemacht' (I broke it).

German has several words for 'broken', each with its own nuance. Understanding these will elevate your German from A1 to B2 and beyond.

Defekt: Technical term. Used for electronics or machinery. 'Das Gerät ist defekt.'
Beschädigt: Damaged. Something might still work but has a scratch or a dent. 'Das Paket ist beschädigt.'
Entzwei: Literally 'in two'. Used for things that have snapped or broken into pieces, like a stick or a plate.
Hinüber: Colloquial. Means 'gone' or 'dead'. 'Mein Handy ist hinüber' (It's totally dead/unfixable).

Das Glas ist zerbrochen (shattered), nicht nur kaputt.

How Formal Is It?

Difficulty Rating

Grammar to Know

Separable verbs (kaputt-machen)

Predicative vs Attributive adjectives

Dative of interest (mir ist etwas kaputtgegangen)

Passive voice with broken objects

Adverbial intensifiers (völlig, total)

Examples by Level

Mein Handy ist kaputt.

My phone is broken.

Subject + sein + kaputt.

Die Uhr ist kaputt.

The clock is broken.

Singular use.

Ist das Spielzeug kaputt?

Is the toy broken?

Question form.

Meine Schuhe sind kaputt.

My shoes are broken/worn out.

Plural use (sind).

Ich bin kaputt.

I am exhausted.

Colloquial use for tiredness.

Das Fenster ist kaputt.

The window is broken.

Predicative adjective.

Der Stuhl ist kaputt.

The chair is broken.

Simple state description.

Alles ist kaputt.

Everything is broken.

Hyperbole.

Gestern ist mein Computer kaputtgegangen.

Yesterday my computer broke.

Perfekt tense with 'kaputtgehen'.

Hast du das Radio kaputtgemacht?

Did you break the radio?

Perfekt tense with 'kaputtmachen'.

Ich kann nicht kommen, ich bin total kaputt.

I can't come, I'm totally exhausted.

Adverb 'total' adds emphasis.

Die Waschmaschine geht immer wieder kaputt.

The washing machine keeps breaking.

Present tense 'geht...kaputt'.

Wir müssen den kaputten Tisch reparieren.

We must repair the broken table.

Attributive use with ending -en.

Mein Fahrrad ist leider kaputt.

My bike is unfortunately broken.

Use of 'leider' for tone.

Warum ist die Lampe kaputt?

Why is the lamp broken?

Interrogative sentence.

Ich habe meine Brille kaputtgemacht.

I broke my glasses.

Transitive verb use.

Nach der langen Wanderung waren wir alle völlig kaputt.

After the long hike, we were all completely exhausted.

Präteritum of 'sein'.

Es bringt nichts, ein kaputtes System zu unterstützen.

There's no point in supporting a broken system.

Abstract usage.

Wir haben uns über den Witz kaputtgelacht.

We laughed our heads off at the joke.

Reflexive idiom 'sich kaputtlachen'.

Die Heizung ist schon wieder kaputt, das ist nervig.

The heating is broken again, that's annoying.

Expressing frustration.

Er hat das Auto beim Einparken kaputtgemacht.

He broke the car while parking.

Temporal clause 'beim Einparken'.

Ich fühle mich heute irgendwie kaputt.

I feel somehow broken/exhausted today.

Verb 'fühlen' + kaputt.

Kannst du das kaputte Teil austauschen?

Can you replace the broken part?

Attributive adjective.

Die Beziehung war schon lange kaputt.

The relationship had been broken for a long time.

Metaphorical use.

Die ständige Kritik macht mich psychisch kaputt.

The constant criticism is destroying me mentally.

Causative use of 'machen'.

Durch den Frost sind die Wasserrohre kaputtgegangen.

The water pipes broke due to the frost.

Causal preposition 'durch'.

Es ist schwierig, ein kaputtes Vertrauen wieder aufzubauen.

It is difficult to rebuild broken trust.

Abstract noun 'Vertrauen'.

Das Unternehmen ist durch Missmanagement kaputtgegangen.

The company went bust due to mismanagement.

Figurative 'kaputtgehen' for bankruptcy.

Ich bin so kaputt, ich könnte im Stehen einschlafen.

I'm so exhausted, I could fall asleep standing up.

Consecutive clause with 'so...dass' (implied).

Man sollte Dinge reparieren, bevor sie ganz kaputt sind.

One should repair things before they are completely broken.

Temporal conjunction 'bevor'.

Die kaputte Infrastruktur behindert das Wirtschaftswachstum.

The broken infrastructure hinders economic growth.

Formal/Political context.

Er hat sich die Knie beim Sport kaputtgemacht.

He ruined his knees doing sports.

Reflexive 'sich (etwas) kaputtmachen'.

Die gesellschaftlichen Strukturen sind zunehmend kaputt.

Social structures are increasingly broken.

Sociological context.

Es ist ein kaputtes Dasein, das er führt.

It is a broken existence that he leads.

Literary/Existential use.

Die Verhandlungen sind an den kaputten Kompromissen gescheitert.

The negotiations failed due to the broken compromises.

Complex noun phrase.

Man darf sich nicht von der Arbeit kaputtmachen lassen.

One must not let oneself be destroyed by work.

Passive-like 'lassen' construction.

Das ist eine kaputte Argumentation ohne logische Basis.

That is a broken argument without a logical basis.

Intellectual critique.

Völlig kaputt von den Strapazen, erreichte er das Ziel.

Completely exhausted from the hardships, he reached the goal.

Adjectival phrase at the start of a sentence.

Die kaputte Natur ist ein Zeugnis unseres Handelns.

Broken nature is a testament to our actions.

Environmental context.

Er lachte sich kaputt über die Ironie der Situation.

He laughed himself silly over the irony of the situation.

Idiomatic 'sich kaputtlachen'.

In der Postmoderne wird das Subjekt oft als inhärent kaputt dargestellt.

In postmodernism, the subject is often portrayed as inherently broken.

Philosophical discourse.

Die kaputte Ästhetik des Films spiegelt die innere Zerrissenheit wider.

The broken aesthetic of the film reflects the inner turmoil.

Artistic analysis.

Ein kaputtes Weltbild lässt sich nicht über Nacht heilen.

A broken worldview cannot be healed overnight.

Metaphorical depth.

Die Sprache selbst wirkt in diesem Roman kaputt und fragmentiert.

The language itself seems broken and fragmented in this novel.

Literary criticism.

Er hat seine Karriere durch diesen Skandal endgültig kaputtgemacht.

He finally ruined his career with this scandal.

Finality with 'endgültig'.

Die kaputten Träume einer ganzen Generation liegen hier begraben.

The broken dreams of an entire generation lie buried here.

Poetic expression.

Trotz der kaputten Umstände bewahrte sie ihre Würde.

Despite the broken circumstances, she maintained her dignity.

Concessive 'trotz' + genitive.

Das System ist so kaputt, dass Reformen kaum noch greifen.

The system is so broken that reforms hardly take effect anymore.

Political analysis.

Common Collocations

völlig kaputt

total kaputt

kaputt gehen

kaputt machen

sich kaputt lachen

kaputt sein

etwas kaputt kriegen

kaputt gearbeitet

geistig kaputt

finanziell kaputt

Common Phrases

Ich bin kaputt.

Das ist kaputt.

Mach es nicht kaputt!

Geht das kaputt?

Alles kaputt.

Völlig kaputt sein.

Kaputtgelacht!

Die Uhr ist kaputt.

Mein Auto ist kaputt.

Die Beziehung ist kaputt.

Often Confused With

kaputt vs müde (tired - kaputt is stronger)

kaputt vs defekt (technical - kaputt is general)

kaputt vs zerbrochen (shattered - kaputt is general)

Idioms & Expressions

"sich kaputtlachen"

"sich kaputtarbeiten"

"etwas kaputthauen"

"kaputtgehen an etwas"

"einen kaputten Typen haben"

"kaputt wie eine Hund"

"alles kaputt schlagen"

"kaputt sein vor Müdigkeit"

"sich die Finger kaputt schreiben"

"die Nerven sind kaputt"

Easily Confused

kaputt vs kaputt

General broken/exhausted.

kaputt vs kaputtgehen

The process of breaking (intransitive).

kaputt vs kaputtmachen

The act of breaking something (transitive).

kaputt vs kaputtschlagen

Breaking something by hitting it.

kaputt vs kaputtlachen

To laugh very hard (positive).

Sentence Patterns

Word Family

Nouns

Kaputtheit (rare)

Verbs

kaputtmachen

kaputtgehen

kaputtschlagen

kaputtschreien

Adjectives

kaputt

How to Use It

emotional

Can describe a person's mental state after trauma.

mechanical

Standard word for any non-functioning machine.

Common Mistakes

Saying 'Ich bin kaputt' when you are only slightly sleepy.
Using 'kaputt' as a noun (it's an adjective).
Forgetting the double 't' in spelling.
Using 'kaputt' for 'broken' food (like bread); use 'geschnitten' or 'gebrochen' instead.
Using it in highly academic papers without quotes.

Tips

No Endings

Don't add -e or -er when saying 'Das ist kaputt'. Keep it simple.

Stronger than Tired

Use 'kaputt' when 'müde' isn't enough to describe your exhaustion.

Empathy

If a friend says 'Ich bin kaputt', offer them a coffee or a break.

Household

If something doesn't work at home, 'kaputt' is always the right word.

Kaputtgehen

Use this when something breaks on its own, like a lightbulb.

Kaputtmachen

Use this when someone (like a child or a clumsy adult) breaks something.

Formal Writing

Switch to 'defekt' if you are writing a formal letter to a landlord.

Short 'u'

The 'u' is short like in 'bush', not long like in 'boot'.

Laughter

Use 'kaputtlachen' to describe a great comedy show.

Relationships

Saying 'Die Beziehung ist kaputt' is very serious and implies it's over.

Memorize It

Word Origin

French 'capot'

Cultural Context

Germans use 'kaputtlachen' to show they found something genuinely funny.

In technical fields, 'defekt' is preferred over 'kaputt'.

The 'Repair Café' movement in Germany aims to fix things that are 'kaputt'.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Conversation Starters

"Ist dein Handy auch ständig kaputt?"

"Was machst du, wenn deine Kaffeemaschine kaputt ist?"

"Bist du nach der Arbeit oft kaputt?"

"Hast du schon mal etwas Teures kaputtgemacht?"

"Kann man eine kaputte Beziehung reparieren?"

Journal Prompts

Schreibe über etwas, das heute kaputtgegangen ist.

Wie fühlst du dich, wenn du völlig kaputt bist?

Was war das letzte Ding, das du kaputtgemacht hast?

Ist es besser, kaputte Dinge zu reparieren oder neu zu kaufen?

Beschreibe einen Tag, an dem alles kaputt war.

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

Yes, but it means they are very tired, not that they are physically broken into pieces.

No, it is a normal, everyday word. It is informal but not rude.

'Defekt' is more formal and technical. 'Kaputt' is used in daily life.

You say 'Ich habe es kaputtgemacht'.

Yes, that is correct attributive usage.

Yes, 'kaput' is used in English, borrowed from German.

Only if it is before a noun. After 'ist', it stays 'kaputt'.

Colloquially, yes, for objects or sometimes in a very dark way for living things.

It means to laugh so much that you feel 'broken' from joy.

With one 'k' and two 't's: k-a-p-u-t-t.