Hurt vs Injured vs My body is broken

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Hurt

Top 1,000 (very common)A2verb

Injured

Top 2,000 (common)B1

My body is broken

Top 5,000 (fairly common)
Most common: Hurt
 HurtInjuredMy body is broken
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/hɜːt/","/hɜːts/","/ˈhɜːtɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/hɜːrt/","/hɜːrts/","/ˈhɜːrtɪŋ/"]/🇬🇧 /["/ˈɪndʒəd/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈɪndʒərd/"]/🇬🇧 //maɪ ˈbɒdi ɪz ˈbrəʊkən//🇺🇸 //maɪ ˈbɑdi ɪz ˈbroʊkən//
Meaningto cause pain or damage to someone or somethinghurt or harmed in some wayMy body is hurt or not working well.
ExampleI accidentally hurt my knee while playing soccer.After the accident, several people were injured and needed medical attention.After the accident, my body is broken and I need help.
RegisterNeutralNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 1,000 (very common)Top 2,000 (common)Top 5,000 (fairly common)
CEFR levelA2B1-
Part of speechverb
Collocationsbadly, seriously, actually, badly, a lot, really, be going to, begin to, badly, deeply, really, attempt to, try to, want tobe, lie, get, badly, critically, gravelybody is broken, feel broken, my body hurts, injured body, broken body
Antonymsheal, comfort, soothehealed, uninjured, fit-
Common mistakesConfused with 'hurted' instead of 'hurt', Using 'hurt' as a noun instead of a verb, Mixing up 'hurt' with 'harmed' in contexts where they don't mean the same'Injured' is often mistakenly used for emotional harm., Learners might confuse 'injured' with 'ill' which refers to sickness., Overusing 'injured' when 'hurt' could be simpler.Confusing 'broken' with 'hurt' - 'broken' suggests a more serious condition., Using it to describe emotional state instead of physical state., Saying 'my body broken' instead of 'my body is broken'.
Usage notesUse 'hurt' when talking about physical or emotional pain. It can be used in both formal and informal contexts but avoid it in overly formal writing. Saying someone 'hurt my feelings' is common.Use 'injured' in contexts where someone has been hurt in an accident or while playing sports. Avoid using it in overly formal writing.Used to express physical pain or injury. Generally appropriate in casual conversation, but can be serious depending on context.

See it in real clips

Hurt
My body is broken

Frequently asked questions: Hurt vs Injured vs My body is broken

What's the difference between Hurt, Injured, and My body is broken?

Hurt: to cause pain or damage to someone or something Injured: hurt or harmed in some way My body is broken: My body is hurt or not working well.

Which is more common: Hurt, Injured, and My body is broken?

Hurt is the most common in everyday English.

Which is more advanced: Hurt, Injured, and My body is broken?

Injured is the highest level, at B1, on the CEFR scale.

Can you show an example of each?

Hurt: I accidentally hurt my knee while playing soccer. Injured: After the accident, several people were injured and needed medical attention. My body is broken: After the accident, my body is broken and I need help.

Can I use Hurt, Injured, and My body is broken interchangeably?

Not always. Hurt, Injured, and My body is broken are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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