To break down

[Widjden Bousmid]

Hello,

I am wondering if it is convenient to say " my cellphone broke down". Do native speakers usually say this? Or is the phrasal verb " break down'' only works with machines.

Thank you

 

[Rover_KE]

Welcome to the forums, Widjden Bousmid.

I'd say 'My mobile stopped working'. As you suppose, 'break down' is mostly used for machines.

Actually, mobile phones rarely stop working because of technical faults. They run out of power or credit.

'My mobile's battery/credit ran out and my car broke down'.

(You can say 'cellphone' if you wish; it's mostly used by speakers of American English.)

 

[Grumpy]

Hello,

I am wondering if it is [STRIKE]convenient[/STRIKE] correct to say " my cellphone broke down". Do native speakers usually say this? Or [STRIKE]is[/STRIKE] does the phrasal verb " break down'' only work[STRIKE]s[/STRIKE] with machines.

Thank you

I hope these corrections help you.

 

[Widjden Bousmid]

Thank you so much, this is very helpful

 

[Widjden Bousmid]

Indeed, they do. They are very much appreciated.

 

[Rover_KE]

Your appreciation is welcome but there is no need to write a new post to say thank you. Simply click the Like button on any posts you find helpful. It means that we don't have to open the thread again to read your new post and then find that it doesn't include any new information or an additional question.

Rover​

 

[Widjden Bousmid]

Thank you so much. My mobile drowned in the water, and it is not working anymore. So, it is better to say, "my mobile stopped working".

 

[MikeNewYork]

Hello,

I am wondering if it is convenient to say " my cellphone broke down". Do native speakers usually say this? Or is the phrasal verb " break down'' only works with machines.

Thank you

"Cell phone" is two words. I would not use "broke down". It would be common to use "crashed" if it was a mechanical problem.

 

[emsr2d2]

Thank you so much. My mobile drowned in the water, and it is not working anymore. So, it is better to say, "my mobile stopped working".

Mobile phones don't drown! You can only drown if you are a breathing organism whose lungs fill with water (or in the case of a fish, fill with air). If you dropped your mobile phone in water then you would have to say "I dropped my mobile in the toilet/bath/sea/river/drink and now it doesn't work/now it's broken".

 

[MikeNewYork]

Mobile phones don't drown! You can only drown if you are a breathing organism whose lungs fill with water (or in the case of a fish, fill with air). If you dropped your mobile phone in water then you would have to say "I dropped my mobile in the toilet/bath/sea/river/drink and now it doesn't work/now it's broken".

While I certainly agree with you from a biological standpoint, I have had several friends who complained (humorously) that their cell phones had drowned.

 

[Raymott]

While I certainly agree with you from a biological standpoint, I have had several friends who complained (humorously) that their cell phones had drowned.

Nevertheless, and to underline a misunderstanding of the OP's first post, a mobile phone is a machine.

 

[probus]

MikeNewYork said: "Cell phone" is two words.

I guess there is regional variation in this usage. Where I live (Toronto) cellphone is used, but nowadays we mostly just say cell.