B1 Informal Speech
„Er brach kurz ab."
He stopped short.
What does „Er brach kurz ab." mean in German?
„Er brach kurz ab." means "He stopped short.." Literally: "He broke short off.."
Literal Translation
"He broke short off."
Er He
brach broke
kurz short
ab off
English Equivalent
"He broke off abruptly."
This English idiom conveys the same meaning as the German expression.
Grammar Notes
Separable verb 'abbrechen'; strong verb (brach/gebrochen)
When is this idiom used?
Informal
This expression is used in informal, casual German conversation among friends and family.
Related Words
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Related Idioms
„Unter anderem sagte er."
Among other things he said.
„Er drückt sich geläufig aus."
He has a ready flow of language.
„Was brummst du in den Bart?"
What are you muttering about?
„Er redet von der Leber weg."
He speaks bluntly.
„Er redet aus dem Stegreif."
He speaks off-hand.
„Er fragte von ungefähr."
He happened to ask.
