se casser

to break; to get broken

→ se

phrase Uncommon #9,253

to break; to get broken Common in everyday French. With a body part, it often means to break that body part (or injure it badly), as in se casser le cou, se casser une dent. It can also be used more broadly for objects that break.

FR: Comment a-t-il pu se casser ?

EN: How could he have broken himself?

On va se casser une dent !

We're going to break a tooth!

— Whiplash (2014)

L'écran a dû se casser quand il est tombé.

The screen must have broken when it fell.

— Primate (2026)

Il pourrait se casser.

It might break.

Cette chaise peut se casser à tout moment.

This chair could break at any moment.

— Pinocchio (2019)

Il va se casser le cou.

He's going to break his neck.

— Amarcord (1973)

Je crois qu'on devrait tous se casser d'ici, le plus vite possible.

I think we should all get out of here as fast as possible.

— Cold Storage (2026)

Si elle se bat dans cet état, elle va se casser.

If she fights in this state, she's going to break.

— Dangal (2016)

Wow, je ne savais pas que les voitures américaines pouvaient se casser.

Wow, I didn't know American cars could break down.

— Assassination (2015)

Comment a-t-il pu se casser ?

How could it have broken?

Tante Leslie a failli se casser le cou.

Aunt Leslie almost broke her neck.

— Maman, j'ai raté l'avion ! (1990)