German Phrase
Die Verbindung bricht die ganze Zeit ab.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘The connection drops all the time.’ It is used to describe an unstable internet, phone, or any data connection that repeatedly disconnects.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are troubleshooting technical problems, complaining about a flaky Wi‑Fi signal, or explaining why a video call keeps cutting out.
✦Grammar Breakdown
DieVerbindungbrichtdieganzeZeitab
Definite article (Die)
‘Die’ is the nominative feminine singular article, matching the noun ‘Verbindung’.
Noun gender (Verbindung)
‘Verbindung’ is a feminine noun (die Verbindung) meaning ‘connection’.
Separable verb (abbrechen)
‘abbrechen’ splits in main clause: the stem ‘bricht’ stays in second position, the prefix ‘ab’ moves to the end.
Adverbial phrase (die ganze Zeit)
‘die ganze Zeit’ means ‘all the time’ and functions as a temporal adverbial; it follows the verb.
Word order
In a main clause the finite verb is in second position; the separable prefix is placed at the end of the clause.
🗨In Conversation
Warum funktioniert das Video nicht?
Why isn’t the video working?
Die Verbindung bricht die ganze Zeit ab.
The connection drops all the time.
✕Common Mistakes
Die Verbindung ab bricht die ganze Zeit.
The prefix ‘ab’ must be placed at the end of the clause, not after the subject.
Die Verbindung bricht ganze Zeit ab.
Do not omit the article ‘die’; ‘ganze Zeit’ alone sounds unnatural in this construction.
Der Verbindung bricht die ganze Zeit ab.
‘Verbindung’ is feminine; using the wrong article (e.g., ‘der’) is a common gender error.
↔Alternatives
Die Verbindung fällt ständig aus.
The connection constantly fails.
Die Leitung ist permanent unterbrochen.
The line is permanently interrupted.
Das Netzwerk bricht immer wieder ab.
The network keeps breaking up.
Cultural Tip
In German technical contexts both ‘abbrechen’ and ‘ausfallen’ are common. ‘Abbrechen’ is used for a connection that ends abruptly, while ‘ausfallen’ often describes a service that stops working altogether. In formal writing you might prefer ‘unterbrochen’ or ‘instabil’. Also, remember that the separable prefix always moves to the end of the clause in main sentences.