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B1 adjective 10 min read

fraturado

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips fraturado in 30 Seconds

Explanation fraturado in your Level:

At the A1 level, you should focus on the basic meaning of 'fraturado' as a more formal version of 'broken' for bones. You don't need to use it in complex sentences yet. Just remember that it is an adjective that changes based on the noun. If you are talking about a boy (o menino), his arm is 'fraturado'. If you are talking about a girl (a menina), her leg is 'fraturada'. At this stage, you will mostly hear this word in very simple medical contexts or see it in basic health-related vocabulary lists. Think of it as a 'big word' for 'quebrado' (broken). You might practice simple sentences like 'O meu braço está fraturado' (My arm is fractured). Don't worry about figurative meanings yet; just focus on the physical body.

At the A2 level, you begin to use 'fraturado' in more complete sentences, often using the past tense. You should be able to describe an accident simply: 'Eu caí e meu pé ficou fraturado' (I fell and my foot became fractured). You should also start noticing the difference between 'estar fraturado' (is fractured - a state) and 'foi fraturado' (was fractured - an event). At A2, you are expected to handle plural forms correctly, such as 'Os dedos dele estão fraturados' (His fingers are fractured). You might also encounter the word in simple news headlines about sports injuries. This is the stage where you solidify the grammatical agreement (masculine/feminine and singular/plural) which is so important in Portuguese.

At the B1 level, you should be comfortable using 'fraturado' in professional or semi-formal settings. You can explain a medical situation with more detail, using adverbs like 'seriamente' (seriously) or 'levemente' (slightly). You understand that 'fraturado' is the appropriate word to use when speaking with a doctor or writing a formal report about an incident. You also begin to see the word used in non-medical but still physical contexts, like 'pavimento fraturado' (fractured pavement). At this level, you should be able to distinguish between 'quebrado' (casual) and 'fraturado' (formal/technical) and choose the right one based on who you are talking to. Your vocabulary is expanding to include the noun form 'fratura' and the verb 'fraturar'.

At the B2 level, you can use 'fraturado' in figurative and metaphorical ways. You might describe a 'sociedade fraturada' (fractured society) or a 'sistema político fraturado'. You understand the nuance that this word implies a deep, structural break rather than a superficial one. You can participate in debates about social issues or read complex news articles where 'fraturado' is used to describe abstract concepts like 'identidades fraturadas' (fractured identities). Your grammar should be flawless regarding agreement, and you can use the word in complex sentence structures, including conditional and subjunctive moods: 'Se o osso estivesse fraturado, ele sentiria mais dor' (If the bone were fractured, he would feel more pain).

At the C1 level, you have a near-native grasp of the word's connotations. You use 'fraturado' to add precision and color to your writing and speech. You might use it in academic papers to describe 'rochas fraturadas' in a geological study or 'narrativas fraturadas' in literary criticism. You are aware of the word's etymology and how it relates to other Latin-based languages. You can use it to express subtle differences in meaning, choosing it over 'dividido' or 'rompido' to specifically emphasize a loss of structural integrity. You understand the word in all its registers, from a surgeon's operating room to a philosopher's treatise on modern life. You can also identify and use less common synonyms like 'fragmentado' or 'fendido' when appropriate.

At the C2 level, you use 'fraturado' with total mastery and effortless precision. You can play with the word in creative writing, using it in puns or complex metaphors. You understand the most obscure technical applications of the term in fields like materials science or advanced sociology. You can engage in high-level discussions about the 'ontologia fraturada' (fractured ontology) of postmodernism. At this stage, the word is just one tool in a vast arsenal of vocabulary, and you use it instinctively to convey exactly the right level of formality and technicality. You can also critique the use of the word in others' writing, noting if it sounds too clinical or if a metaphor is particularly apt. Your understanding is deep, encompassing the word's history, its grammatical complexities, and its vast range of applications.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

fraturado in 30 Seconds

Fraturado means fractured or broken, used mostly for bones or structural objects.
It is a formal/medical adjective that must agree in gender and number with the noun.
Commonly used in hospitals, geology reports, and news about sports or disasters.
Can be used metaphorically to describe a divided society or a broken relationship.

The Portuguese word fraturado is an adjective derived from the past participle of the verb fraturar. At its core, it describes something that has suffered a fracture—most commonly a bone in the human body or a hard, structural material like rock or concrete. While in English we often use the word 'broken' for everything from a heart to a window to a leg, Portuguese speakers tend to reserve fraturado for medical, technical, or formal contexts. If you are at a hospital, the doctor will likely say your arm is fraturado, whereas a child on the playground might simply say it is quebrado. Understanding this distinction is key to reaching a B1 level of proficiency, as it demonstrates an awareness of register and technical accuracy.

Medical Context: Used to describe bones that have sustained a partial or complete break. It implies a clinical diagnosis rather than a casual observation.
Geological Context: Refers to rock formations or soil layers that have developed cracks or fissures due to tectonic stress or environmental pressure.
Figurative Context: Describes abstract concepts like a 'fraturada sociedade' (fractured society) or a 'relacionamento fraturado' (fractured relationship), suggesting deep, often irreparable divisions.

O raio-X confirmou que o fêmur do paciente estava fraturado em três lugares diferentes.

In everyday conversation, you might hear the word used by news anchors or read it in newspapers. It carries a weight of seriousness. For instance, a report on a natural disaster might mention that the 'pavimento da estrada está totalmente fraturado' (the road pavement is totally fractured). This sounds more professional than saying it is 'broken'. Furthermore, the word must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies: fraturado (masculine singular), fraturada (feminine singular), fraturados (masculine plural), and fraturadas (feminine plural). This grammatical requirement is essential for English speakers to master, as 'broken' remains static in English regardless of the object being described.

Após a queda, ela sentiu uma dor aguda na perna fraturada.

Beyond the physical, the word has seen a surge in sociological use. Scholars often talk about a 'discurso fraturado' (fractured discourse) when discussing political polarization. In this sense, the word describes a lack of cohesion or a breakdown in the structural integrity of an idea or a community. This metaphorical use is quite common in academic writing and high-level journalism. To reach a total of 600 words of understanding, one must realize that fraturado is not just a synonym for 'broken'; it is a term of structural failure. Whether it is a bone failing to support a body, a rock failing to hold its shape, or a society failing to remain united, fraturado implies a disruption of what was once a solid whole. Comparing it to 'quebrado' is useful: 'quebrado' is for toys, glass, and simple objects; 'fraturado' is for the structural pillars of life, both physical and conceptual. This depth of meaning makes it a versatile and powerful adjective in the Portuguese lexicon, bridging the gap between medicine, geology, and social science.

Using fraturado correctly requires attention to noun-adjective agreement and the specific context of the break. Because it is an adjective, it must match the gender and number of the noun it describes. For example, 'braço' (arm) is masculine, so we use fraturado. 'Costela' (rib) is feminine, so we use fraturada. This is a common stumbling block for English speakers who are used to the unchanging 'broken'.

Agreement with Masculine Nouns: O tornozelo dele está fraturado (His ankle is fractured). Note the 'o' ending matching 'tornozelo'.
Agreement with Feminine Nouns: A bacia foi fraturada no acidente (The pelvis was fractured in the accident). Note the 'a' ending matching 'bacia'.

Eles encontraram diversos ossos fraturados no local da escavação arqueológica.

In sentence construction, fraturado often follows the verbs estar (to be - temporary state) or ser (to be - passive voice/characteristic). If you say 'O osso está fraturado', you are describing the current state of the bone. If you say 'O osso foi fraturado', you are focusing on the event that caused the break. This nuance is important for narrative flow. Additionally, you can use adverbs to modify the intensity, such as 'levemente fraturado' (slightly fractured) or 'gravemente fraturado' (severely fractured). These modifiers help provide a clearer picture of the severity of the situation.

When discussing technical subjects like engineering, fraturado is used to describe material fatigue. 'O metal fraturado apresentava sinais de corrosão' (The fractured metal showed signs of corrosion). Here, the word helps specify that the break wasn't just a surface scratch but a deep structural failure. In figurative language, it is often paired with nouns like 'identidade', 'ego', or 'aliança'. For example, 'Uma aliança política fraturada' describes a coalition that is no longer working together. By using this word instead of 'quebrada', the speaker implies that the alliance was once a complex, integrated system that has now split. This level of detail is what separates a basic speaker from an intermediate one. To fully master the usage, practice writing sentences that involve plural feminine nouns, such as 'As vértebras fraturadas exigem repouso absoluto' (The fractured vertebrae require absolute rest). This reinforces the connection between noun gender/number and adjective morphology, a foundational skill in Portuguese. By the time you reach 600 words of practice, these patterns should feel instinctive, allowing you to use fraturado across various domains with confidence and precision.

You will encounter fraturado in several specific environments. The most common is the healthcare setting. If you visit a 'Pronto-Socorro' (Emergency Room) in Brazil or a 'Urgência' in Portugal, you will see this word on medical reports, X-ray results, and in the speech of doctors and nurses. It is the standard professional term for a broken bone. If a soccer player gets injured during a match, the sports commentator will likely use fraturado to describe the injury once the medical staff provides an update. For example, 'O jogador deixou o campo com o rádio fraturado' (The player left the field with a fractured radius).

O médico explicou que o crânio não estava fraturado, apenas contundido.

Another common place to hear this word is in news reports regarding infrastructure or natural disasters. After an earthquake or a period of heavy rain, reporters might describe the 'asfalto fraturado' or 'encostas fraturadas' (fractured slopes). In these cases, the word emphasizes the danger and the structural damage to the earth or the city's foundations. It sounds more alarming and precise than 'broken road'. You will also find it in the context of forensic science or crime news, where a 'corpo com membros fraturados' (body with fractured limbs) might be mentioned in a police report.

News & Media: Used in reports on accidents, disasters, and sports injuries to provide a professional tone.
Academic Lectures: In geology, biology, or sociology classes to discuss structural breaks or social divisions.

In literature and high-level journalism, fraturado appears in metaphorical descriptions. An author might describe a 'memória fraturada' (fractured memory) to indicate that a character cannot remember events clearly or that their past is filled with traumatic gaps. Similarly, political analysts use 'país fraturado' (fractured country) to describe a nation deeply divided by ideology. This usage is frequent in opinion pieces in newspapers like Folha de S.Paulo or Público. Hearing or reading the word in these contexts signals to you that the topic is being treated with a degree of intellectual or professional seriousness. It is rarely used in slang or very casual settings, where 'quebrado', 'estourado', or 'ferrado' might be preferred. Therefore, when you hear fraturado, you should immediately switch your mental context to one that is formal, technical, or analytical. This helps in understanding the speaker's intent and the gravity of the situation being described.

The most frequent mistake English speakers make with fraturado is using it too broadly, treating it as a direct replacement for 'broken'. In English, you can say 'my phone is broken', but in Portuguese, saying 'meu celular está fraturado' would sound very strange unless the screen has actual structural cracks similar to a bone fracture—and even then, 'quebrado' or 'trincado' (cracked) is much more natural. Fraturado is specifically for hard, structural things, primarily bones and rocks.

Another common error is failing to agree the adjective with the noun's gender. Since many medical terms for bones are feminine (e.g., costela, tíbia, fíbula, clavícula), students often mistakenly use the masculine fraturado. You must say 'a clavícula fraturada'. Similarly, in the plural, you must add the 's': 'dedos fraturados'. If you ignore these rules, your speech will sound 'broken' in a different way!

Incorrect Agreement: *A perna está fraturado (Wrong) -> A perna está fraturada (Correct).
Wrong Context: *O meu coração está fraturado (Odd/Dramatic) -> O meu coração está partido (Natural for 'broken heart').

Confusion between fraturado and quebrado is the hallmark of a learner. While a 'fratura' is a type of 'quebra', the reverse isn't always true in a linguistic sense. Think of fraturado as the clinical subset of quebrado. If you drop a plate, it is quebrado. If you fall and hurt your arm, it is quebrado in casual speech, but fraturado in a medical report. Using the formal term in a casual setting isn't 'wrong', but it might make you sound like a textbook or a doctor rather than a friend. Lastly, avoid using it for 'out of order' machines; for a broken elevator, use 'quebrado' or 'com defeito', never fraturado. Mastery involves knowing not just what a word means, but where it doesn't belong.

To enrich your Portuguese vocabulary, it is important to know the synonyms and related words for fraturado. Each has a specific nuance that makes it more suitable for certain situations. The most versatile alternative is quebrado, which is the general word for 'broken'. It can be used for bones, objects, hearts, and even financial status (being 'broke').

Quebrado: General use. 'O copo está quebrado' (The glass is broken). 'Estou quebrado' (I am broke/exhausted).
Trincado / Rachado: Used for 'cracked'. 'O para-brisa está trincado' (The windshield is cracked). 'A parede está rachada' (The wall is cracked).
Partido: Often used for things split in two or for emotions. 'Coração partido' (Broken heart). 'Pão partido' (Broken/shared bread).
Rompido: Used for ligaments, tendons, or relationships. 'Ligamento rompido' (Torn ligament). 'Relações rompidas' (Severed relations).

Enquanto o osso estava fraturado, o músculo adjacente estava apenas distendido.

In more technical or literary settings, you might encounter fragmentado (fragmented), which suggests something broken into many small pieces. A 'discurso fragmentado' is one that lacks logic or continuity. Another related term is fendido (cleft or split), often used in geology or for a 'lábio fendido' (cleft lip). Choosing the right word depends on the severity and nature of the break. While fraturado implies a clean or structural break in a hard object, rompido implies a tearing of something flexible, and rachado implies a surface-level split. By learning these distinctions, you can describe damage with the precision of a native speaker. For instance, describing a 'sociedade fraturada' suggests deep structural divisions that go to the core of the nation, whereas a 'sociedade dividida' might just suggest a temporary disagreement. This level of linguistic precision is what allows you to express complex thoughts and observations accurately in Portuguese.

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

The word share the same root as 'fraction' in math and 'fragment'. They all come from the Latin 'frangere', meaning 'to break'.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /fɾɐ.tu.ˈɾa.du/

US /fɾa.tu.ˈɾa.du/

The stress is on the penultimate syllable: fra-tu-RA-do.

Rhymes With

passado cansado quebrado olhado falado estado amado cuidado

Common Errors

Pronouncing the 'r' like the English 'r' in 'red'. It should be a flap.
Forgetting to change the ending to 'a' for feminine nouns.
Pronouncing the 't' with a heavy breath (aspiration).
Making the final 'o' too strong; in many dialects, it is a very soft 'u' sound.
Stress on the wrong syllable (e.g., FRA-tu-ra-do).

Difficulty Rating

Reading 2/5

Easy to recognize because of the English cognate 'fractured'.

Writing 3/5

Requires attention to gender and number agreement.

Speaking 3/5

The 'r' sounds and stress can be tricky for beginners.

Listening 2/5

Clear pronunciation in most dialects.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

osso quebrado médico braço perna

Learn Next

fratura gesso cirurgia radiografia ortopedia

Advanced

cisalhamento fissura fragmentação ruptura fenda

Grammar to Know

Adjective Agreement

O osso (m) fraturado (m) / A perna (f) fraturada (f).

Passive Voice with Ser

O braço foi fraturado no jogo.

Stative Passive with Estar

O braço está fraturado agora.

Adverbial Modification

O osso está 'completamente' fraturado.

Pluralization

Os ossos fraturados.

Examples by Level

O meu braço está fraturado.

My arm is fractured.

Braço is masculine singular, so fraturado ends in -o.

A perna dela está fraturada.

Her leg is fractured.

Perna is feminine singular, so fraturado becomes fraturada.

O osso está fraturado?

Is the bone fractured?

Simple question structure.

Não, não está fraturado.

No, it is not fractured.

Negative sentence.

Os dedos estão fraturados.

The fingers are fractured.

Dedos is masculine plural, so fraturados ends in -os.

As costelas estão fraturadas.

The ribs are fractured.

Costelas is feminine plural, so fraturadas ends in -as.

O pé dele está fraturado.

His foot is fractured.

Possessive 'dele' follows the noun.

Eu tenho um osso fraturado.

I have a fractured bone.

Using the verb 'ter' (to have).

Ontem, eu fraturei o braço e agora ele está fraturado.

Yesterday, I fractured my arm and now it is fractured.

Shows the relation between the verb 'fraturar' and adjective 'fraturado'.

O médico disse que o meu nariz está fraturado.

The doctor said my nose is fractured.

Indirect speech.

Ela caiu da bicicleta e ficou com a mão fraturada.

She fell off the bike and ended up with a fractured hand.

Using 'ficar com' to describe a resulting state.

Nós vimos muitos ossos fraturados no hospital.

We saw many fractured bones at the hospital.

Plural agreement.

O raio-X mostra que o rádio está fraturado.

The X-ray shows that the radius is fractured.

Technical noun 'rádio'.

Você acha que o seu dedo está fraturado?

Do you think your finger is fractured?

Question with 'achar' (to think).

O atleta não jogou porque estava com o tornozelo fraturado.

The athlete didn't play because his ankle was fractured.

Causal sentence.

A bacia dela foi fraturada no acidente de carro.

Her pelvis was fractured in the car accident.

Passive voice with 'foi'.

O paciente apresenta um fêmur gravemente fraturado.

The patient presents a severely fractured femur.

Use of adverb 'gravemente'.

Devido à queda, o crânio ficou levemente fraturado.

Due to the fall, the skull became slightly fractured.

Use of adverb 'levemente'.

É perigoso caminhar sobre o asfalto fraturado após o terremoto.

It is dangerous to walk on the fractured asphalt after the earthquake.

Non-medical use of the word.

O arqueólogo encontrou um crânio fraturado de milhares de anos.

The archaeologist found a fractured skull thousands of years old.

Historical/Scientific context.

A estrutura do prédio parece estar fraturada em vários pontos.

The building's structure seems to be fractured in several points.

Engineering context.

Se o osso não estiver fraturado, você poderá voltar a treinar logo.

If the bone is not fractured, you will be able to return to training soon.

Future subjunctive 'estiver'.

O relatório médico confirmou que a clavícula estava fraturada.

The medical report confirmed that the clavicle was fractured.

Formal register.

Eles operaram a perna fraturada durante a madrugada.

They operated on the fractured leg during the early morning.

Using the adjective to specify the object of surgery.

Vivemos em uma sociedade fraturada por ideologias opostas.

We live in a society fractured by opposing ideologies.

Figurative/Sociological use.

O sistema de saúde está fraturado e precisa de reformas urgentes.

The healthcare system is fractured and needs urgent reforms.

Metaphorical use for a failing system.

Sua confiança no governo ficou fraturada após o escândalo.

His trust in the government became fractured after the scandal.

Abstract noun 'confiança'.

O terreno fraturado dificultava a passagem das equipes de resgate.

The fractured terrain made it difficult for rescue teams to pass.

Geological/Emergency context.

A peça de metal fraturada foi enviada para análise laboratorial.

The fractured metal piece was sent for laboratory analysis.

Industrial/Forensic context.

O diálogo entre os dois países permanece fraturado.

The dialogue between the two countries remains fractured.

Diplomatic context.

Ela descreveu sua infância como um período de memórias fraturadas.

She described her childhood as a period of fractured memories.

Psychological/Literary use.

A aliança política, outrora forte, agora está completamente fraturada.

The political alliance, once strong, is now completely fractured.

Political context.

A análise petrográfica revelou um embasamento cristalino altamente fraturado.

Petrographic analysis revealed a highly fractured crystalline basement.

Highly technical geological language.

O autor utiliza uma estrutura narrativa fraturada para refletir o trauma do protagonista.

The author uses a fractured narrative structure to reflect the protagonist's trauma.

Literary criticism.

A coesão social foi fraturada por décadas de negligência estatal.

Social cohesion was fractured by decades of state neglect.

Complex sociological cause-effect.

O espécime fóssil apresentava um úmero fraturado, sugerindo uma luta antes da morte.

The fossil specimen presented a fractured humerus, suggesting a fight before death.

Paleontological context.

A identidade nacional brasileira é frequentemente descrita como fraturada e plural.

Brazilian national identity is often described as fractured and plural.

Cultural theory.

O mercado financeiro reagiu negativamente à notícia de um setor bancário fraturado.

The financial market reacted negatively to news of a fractured banking sector.

Economic context.

Sua argumentação, embora brilhante, parecia fraturada em pontos cruciais de lógica.

His argument, though brilliant, seemed fractured at crucial points of logic.

Intellectual critique.

As zonas de cisalhamento mostram rochas intensamente fraturadas e recristalizadas.

The shear zones show intensely fractured and recrystallized rocks.

Advanced earth sciences.

A fenomenologia do ser, em sua acepção moderna, apresenta-se como uma subjetividade fraturada.

The phenomenology of being, in its modern sense, presents itself as a fractured subjectivity.

Philosophical discourse.

O império ruiu não por ataques externos, mas por um cerne institucional já fraturado.

The empire collapsed not due to external attacks, but due to an already fractured institutional core.

Historical analysis of institutional decay.

A poética do autor reside justamente na exploração do verso fraturado e da métrica irregular.

The author's poetics lies precisely in the exploration of the fractured verse and irregular meter.

Advanced literary aesthetics.

O tecido urbano de metrópoles globais revela uma espacialidade fraturada por guetos de luxo e miséria.

The urban fabric of global metropolises reveals a spatiality fractured by luxury ghettos and misery.

Critical urban geography.

A psique do sobrevivente é um mosaico de silêncios e lembranças fraturadas pelo horror.

The survivor's psyche is a mosaic of silences and memories fractured by horror.

Psychological depth.

A legitimidade do veredito foi fraturada por evidências de manipulação processual.

The legitimacy of the verdict was fractured by evidence of procedural manipulation.

High-level legal/political analysis.

Observamos uma biosfera fraturada, onde os ecossistemas lutam para manter sua integridade funcional.

We observe a fractured biosphere, where ecosystems struggle to maintain their functional integrity.

Advanced environmental science.

O paradigma científico atual encontra-se fraturado ante a emergência de novas anomalias quânticas.

The current scientific paradigm finds itself fractured before the emergence of new quantum anomalies.

Epistemological discussion.

Synonyms

quebrado partido rompido trincado rachado fragmentado fendido britado

Antonyms

inteiro intacto unido são

Common Collocations

osso fraturado

braço fraturado

sociedade fraturada

crânio fraturado

terreno fraturado

fêmur fraturado

pavimento fraturado

gravemente fraturado

levemente fraturado

membro fraturado

Common Phrases

estar fraturado

— To be currently in a state of having a fracture.

O meu dedo parece estar fraturado.

foi fraturado

— Used to describe the moment the fracture occurred (passive voice).

O osso foi fraturado durante a queda.

permanecer fraturado

— To continue being in a fractured state.

O país permanece fraturado após as eleições.

apresentar-se fraturado

— To show signs of being fractured (formal/medical).

O material apresenta-se fraturado na base.

restar fraturado

— To be left in a fractured state.

O relacionamento restou fraturado após a briga.

sentir o osso fraturado

— To feel the pain of a broken bone.

Ele sentiu o osso fraturado ao tentar levantar.

tratar um osso fraturado

— To provide medical care for a fracture.

É preciso tratar o osso fraturado com cuidado.

identificar um ponto fraturado

— To find where the break is.

O técnico identificou o ponto fraturado na viga.

viver em um mundo fraturado

— To live in a world with deep divisions.

Muitos filósofos dizem que vivemos em um mundo fraturado.

mostrar-se fraturado

— To reveal itself as being fractured.

O mármore mostrou-se fraturado após o transporte.

Often Confused With

fraturado vs quebrado

Quebrado is general; fraturado is for structural/bone breaks.

fraturado vs faturado

Faturado means 'invoiced' or 'billed'. Don't drop the 'r'!

fraturado vs fraturante

Fraturante describes something that causes a fracture or a major change.

Idioms & Expressions

"discurso fraturado"

— A way of speaking that is disjointed or lacks logical flow.

O político deu um discurso fraturado e confuso.

formal

"identidade fraturada"

— A sense of self that is split between different cultures or traumas.

Muitos imigrantes possuem uma identidade fraturada.

academic

"país fraturado"

— A nation deeply divided by political or social conflict.

O país fraturado precisa de diálogo.

journalistic

"memória fraturada"

— Incomplete or traumatic recollections of the past.

Sua memória fraturada impedia o depoimento.

literary

"aliança fraturada"

— A partnership that is no longer working due to internal conflict.

A aliança fraturada levou à derrota nas urnas.

political

"ego fraturado"

— Damaged self-esteem or pride.

Ele saiu da reunião com um ego fraturado.

informal/metaphorical

"realidade fraturada"

— A situation where different groups perceive facts differently.

As redes sociais criam uma realidade fraturada.

sociological

"sistema fraturado"

— A structure (like law or health) that is failing to function as a whole.

O sistema judiciário está fraturado.

formal

"alma fraturada"

— Deep spiritual or psychological pain.

O poema fala sobre uma alma fraturada.

poetic

"visão fraturada"

— An incomplete or biased perspective.

Temos uma visão fraturada da história.

intellectual

Easily Confused

fraturado vs faturado

Looks similar but lacks the 'r'.

Faturado relates to money/invoices; Fraturado relates to breaks.

O pedido foi faturado (billed). O osso foi fraturado (broken).

fraturado vs quebrado

Both mean broken.

Quebrado is for toys/glass/machines; Fraturado is for bones/rock.

O vidro quebrado. O braço fraturado.

fraturado vs partido

Both mean broken/split.

Partido is often for hearts or things split in two pieces.

Coração partido. Osso fraturado.

fraturado vs rompido

Both mean a break.

Rompido is a tear (soft tissue); Fraturado is a break (hard tissue).

Ligamento rompido. Fêmur fraturado.

fraturado vs rasgado

Both mean damaged.

Rasgado is 'torn' (paper/cloth); Fraturado is 'fractured'.

Papel rasgado. Crânio fraturado.

Sentence Patterns

O [body part] está fraturado.

O pé está fraturado.

Eu tenho a [body part] fraturada.

Eu tenho a mão fraturada.

O paciente apresenta um [bone] fraturado.

O paciente apresenta um rádio fraturado.

Uma [abstract noun] fraturada por [cause].

Uma sociedade fraturada pela guerra.

A [technical noun] mostra-se fraturada.

A estrutura geológica mostra-se fraturada.

O cerne da [concept] encontra-se fraturado.

O cerne da questão encontra-se fraturado.

Apesar de estar fraturado, ele...

Apesar de estar fraturado, ele tentou andar.

Caso o osso esteja fraturado...

Caso o osso esteja fraturado, chame o médico.

Word Family

Nouns

fratura (fracture)

fraturamento (fracturing)

Verbs

fraturar (to fracture)

Adjectives

fraturado (fractured)

fraturável (fracturable)

quebrar

romper

partir

fender

rachar

How to Use It

frequency

Common in medical and news contexts; rare in casual daily chat unless referring to a specific injury.

Common Mistakes

O braço está fraturada. → O braço está fraturado.
Braço is masculine, so the adjective must end in 'o'.
O meu celular está fraturado. → O meu celular está quebrado.
Fraturado is for structural/medical breaks, not electronics.
Eu faturei o osso. → Eu fraturei o osso.
Faturei means 'I billed'. Fraturei means 'I fractured'.
As costelas estão fraturado. → As costelas estão fraturadas.
Plural feminine nouns need plural feminine adjectives.
O osso foi faturado. → O osso foi fraturado.
Missing the 'r' changes the meaning to 'billed'.

Tips

Gender Check

Always look at the noun. OssO -> FraturadO. PernA -> FraturadA.

Hospital Talk

Use 'fraturado' at the clinic to sound more precise about your injury.

Metaphor Use

Use 'fraturado' when describing a country with deep political splits.

Stress the 'RA'

The 'RA' syllable is the strongest: fra-tu-RA-do.

Academic Tone

In essays, 'fraturado' provides a more sophisticated tone than 'quebrado'.

Listen for the 'R'

The second 'r' is often very soft. Don't confuse it with 'faturado'.

X-ray Reports

If you see this word in a report, it confirms a clinical break.

Sports Injuries

Soccer news is a great place to see this word in action.

Fraction Connection

A fracture makes a bone a fraction of its whole.

Avoid Repetition

Switch between 'quebrado' and 'fraturado' to vary your vocabulary.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a 'FRACTION'. When you fracture a bone, it becomes a fraction of its former whole self. FRA-turado.

Visual Association

Imagine an X-ray with a glowing neon crack in a bone. The light highlights the 'FRATURA'.

Word Web

osso raio-X hospital gesso médico dor acidente queda

Challenge

Try to find three feminine nouns in Portuguese that can be 'fraturadas' (e.g., costela, clavícula, perna) and write a sentence for each.

Word Origin

From the Latin 'fracturatus', the past participle of 'fracturare', which comes from 'fractura' (a breach, a break).

Original meaning: The state of being broken or breached.

Romance (Indo-European).

Cultural Context

Be careful when using 'fraturado' metaphorically for people's mental states; it can sound quite clinical or dramatic.

English speakers use 'broken' for almost everything. In Portuguese, using 'fraturado' shows a higher level of education and precision.

Neymar's various 'metatarsos fraturados' (fractured metatarsals) are frequently discussed in Brazilian sports news. The movie 'Corpo Fechado' (Unbreakable) plays with the opposite concept of being 'fraturável'. News headlines often use 'Brasil Fraturado' to describe political polarization.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Hospital

Onde está fraturado?
Está muito fraturado?
O osso foi fraturado?
A costela está fraturada.

Sports

O jogador está fraturado.
Ele fraturou o tornozelo.
A temporada acabou para o atleta fraturado.
Ele joga mesmo fraturado?

Geology

Rocha fraturada.
Camada fraturada.
O solo está fraturado.
Zona fraturada.

Politics

País fraturado.
Sociedade fraturada.
Aliança fraturada.
Discurso fraturado.

Accidents

Carro fraturado (rare - usually 'destruído')
Pavimento fraturado.
Vidro fraturado (usually 'estilhaçado')
Viga fraturada.

Conversation Starters

"Você já teve algum osso fraturado na vida?"

"O que você faz se achar que seu dedo está fraturado?"

"Você acha que a nossa sociedade está fraturada hoje em dia?"

"Como se cuida de um braço fraturado?"

"Qual a diferença entre um osso quebrado e um osso fraturado para você?"

Journal Prompts

Descreva uma vez que você ou alguém que você conhece ficou com um osso fraturado.

Escreva sobre um sistema (escola, governo, empresa) que você considera fraturado.

Como você se sentiria se tivesse que passar dois meses com uma perna fraturada?

Reflita sobre a metáfora de uma 'identidade fraturada' em imigrantes.

Descreva os danos em uma cidade após um terremoto, usando a palavra fraturado.

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

It's better to use 'trincado' (cracked) or 'quebrado' (broken). 'Fraturado' sounds too medical for a phone.

Yes, it is common and understood in all Portuguese-speaking countries with the same meaning.

The feminine plural is 'fraturadas', used for nouns like 'costelas' or 'pernas'.

You can, but it sounds very poetic or slightly strange. 'Coração partido' is the standard idiom for a broken heart.

No, it is an adjective (the past participle). The verb is 'fraturar'.

In Portuguese, it is called 'fratura exposta' (exposed fracture).

Use 'quebrado' for everyday objects like plates, toys, cars, or when you are out of money.

Mostly, but it can also refer to rocks, concrete, or metaphorically to a society or system.

It is a single tap (like 'tt' in 'water'), not a long trill like in Spanish 'perro'.

Yes, metaphorically. A 'sociedade fraturada' is a society divided by deep conflicts.