a vehicle breaks down
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 a vehicle breaks down
A common expression meaning that a car, bus, or other vehicle has broken down and is not working properly.
a vehicle breaks down
Describes a vehicle that has developed a mechanical problem and cannot operate normally.
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รถเสียกลางทาง rót sǐa klaaŋ thaaŋ The car broke down on the way. รถเสียกลางทาง details
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วันนี้ไปไม่ได้ เพราะรถเสีย wan níi pay mây dâay phrɔ́ rót sǐa I can't go today because my car broke down. วันนี้ไปไม่ได้ เพราะรถเสีย details
Learning notes
Explanation
The expression is formed from รถ (“car” or “vehicle”) and เสีย (“to break down” or “to stop functioning properly”). In everyday conversation, รถ often refers to a car, so รถเสีย usually means that a car has broken down or is out of order. It can also follow a specific vehicle name, as in รถเมล์เสีย (“the bus has broken down”) or รถมอเตอร์ไซค์เสีย (“the motorcycle has broken down”). Thai verbs do not change form for tense, so รถเสีย can describe either the event of breaking down or the resulting condition. รถเสียแล้ว makes the completed change clearer, while รถเสียอยู่ emphasizes that the vehicle is still out of order.
Usage
It is commonly used to report a breakdown while traveling or to explain a delay, absence, or change of plans. It is also natural when telling family members, coworkers, or a mechanic that a vehicle is not working.
Caution
รถเสีย refers to a mechanical failure. Do not confuse it with รถชน, which means that a vehicle crashes; รถพัง, which suggests severe damage; or รถติด, which normally refers to traffic congestion.