German Phrase
Der Anruf bricht ständig ab.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘The call keeps dropping.’ It describes a situation where a telephone connection is unstable and the conversation is repeatedly interrupted.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are on a phone call that keeps getting disconnected, whether you are talking to a friend, a customer service representative, or in a business meeting.
✦Grammar Breakdown
DerAnrufbrichtständigab
Definite Article (Der)
‘Der’ is the masculine nominative singular article, used here because ‘Anruf’ is a masculine noun.
Noun (Anruf)
‘Anruf’ means ‘call’ (as in a telephone call) and is masculine (der Anruf).
Separable Verb (abbrechen → bricht … ab)
‘abbrechen’ means ‘to break off, to drop’. In the present tense the prefix ‘ab’ moves to the end of the clause: ‘bricht … ab’.
Adverb (ständig)
‘ständig’ means ‘continuously, constantly’. It modifies the verb phrase to indicate the action happens repeatedly.
🗨In Conversation
Entschuldigung, der Anruf bricht ständig ab. Können wir bitte kurz auflegen und es noch einmal versuchen?
Sorry, the call keeps dropping. Can we hang up quickly and try again?
Klar, das ist kein Problem. Ich rufe Sie gleich zurück.
Sure, no problem. I’ll call you back right away.
✕Common Mistakes
Der Anruf abbricht ständig.
The verb ‘abbrechen’ is separable; the prefix ‘ab’ must go to the end of the clause in the present tense.
Der Anruf bricht stetig ab.
‘Stetig’ means ‘steady, continuous without interruption’; the correct adverb for repeated interruptions is ‘ständig’.
Der Anruf wird ständig abgebrochen.
If you use the passive voice, the article changes: ‘Der Anruf wird ständig abgebrochen.’
↔Alternatives
Der Anruf wird ständig unterbrochen.
The call is constantly being interrupted.
Die Verbindung bricht immer wieder ab.
The connection keeps breaking up.
Wir verlieren ständig die Telefonverbindung.
We keep losing the telephone connection.
Cultural Tip
In German-speaking business contexts it’s polite to apologize immediately (‘Entschuldigung’) and suggest a concrete solution, such as calling back or switching to a different line. Avoid blaming the other party; focus on the technical issue.