zerbrechen
Translation
to break, to shatter, to smash
Examples
Die Tasse zerbrach am Boden.
The cup broke on the floor.
Er zerbrach den Ast mit seinen Händen.
He broke the branch with his hands.
Sie zerbrach an der schweren Aufgabe.
She broke under the difficult task.
Grammar Patterns
((intransitive)) to break, shatter. Die Tasse zerbrach.
((sth.)) to break sth. Er zerbrach den Ast.
((an+3)) to break down from sth. (figurative). Sie zerbrach an der Aufgabe.
Similar Words
kaputtgehen (to get broken), zerschlagen (to smash); Antonyms: reparieren (to repair), heilen (to heal).
Etymology
From the prefix 'zer-' (apart, into pieces) and 'brechen' (to break). It literally means 'to break apart'.
Memory Tips
The prefix 'zer-' often implies destruction or falling apart, like a vase shattering into many pieces.