car is broken vs. has broken down

[unruly2009]

What's wrong with the following sentences?

My car is broken.
My car has broken down.

Can I say "My car is broken." to convey that my car no longer works?

 

[svartnik]

Nothing is wrong with them. They mean your car is not functioning.

 

[Daruma]

Nothing is wrong with them. They mean your car is not functioning.

Svartnik, I agree with you that nothing is wrong with the sentences. There's something wrong with the car, though.

 

[unruly2009]

What's wrong with the following sentences?

My car is broken.
My car has broken down.

Can I say "My car is broken." to convey that my car no longer works?

I was told that native speakers don't say "My car is broken." Although it's grammatically correct, it's not commonly spoken. Is that true? So, when when someone says "My car is broken.," you automatically know that English isn't his/her first language?

 

[svartnik]

I often hear in American films that something is broken. More often than something is mended. :-D

 

[bhaisahab]

I was told that native speakers don't say "My car is broken." Although it's grammatically correct, it's not commonly spoken. Is that true? So, when when someone says "My car is broken.," you automatically know that English isn't his/her first language?

Yes that's right we don't say 'my car is broken' and it sounds strange to my ear.

 

[svartnik]

Yes that's right we don't say 'my car is broken' and it sounds strange to my ear.

"My watch is broken."
Cambridge Dictionaries Online - Cambridge University Press
http://www.google.com/#hl=en&q="my+car+is+broken&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g1&fp=leBsIIJAIN0

4. not functioning properly; out of working order.
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=broken&r=66

 

[bhaisahab]

"My watch is broken."
Cambridge Dictionaries Online - Cambridge University Press
Google

4. not functioning properly; out of working order.
broken definition | Dictionary.com

Yes, we do say 'my watch/glass/cup/nose etc. is broken. Perhaps illogically, we don't say 'my car is broken'.

 

[Daruma]

"My watch is broken."
Cambridge Dictionaries Online - Cambridge University Press
Google

4. not functioning properly; out of working order.
broken definition | Dictionary.com

SV,

The second link does not work on my PC. Could you check it out?

 

[svartnik]

copy paste:
google.com/#hl=en&q=%22my+car+is+broken&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g1&fp=1&cad=b]Google

 

[Daruma]

copy paste:
google.com/#hl=en&q=%22my+car+is+broken&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g1&fp=1&cad=b]Google

SV,

Thanks a million, but it doesn't work, either.

 

[Raymott]

SV,

The second link does not work on my PC. Could you check it out?

The links might not help. We don't say "My car is broken".

 

[svartnik]

Then my friend in South Africa was ill-using 'broken' day in, day out.
Maybe he just wanted to adapt to my level of vocabulary.

 

[Raymott]

Then my friend in South Africa was ill-using 'broken' day in, day out.
Maybe he just wanted to adapt to my level of vocabulary.

It could be idiomatic in South African English, but I'd be skeptical.
It's not used in the abstraction we call Standard English.

 

[svartnik]

It's not used in the abstraction we call Standard English.

I live and learn. :up:

 

[Raymott]

I live and learn. :up:

Don't we all!