Italian Phrase
La macchina si è rotta. Che faccio?
Meaning
The speaker’s car has broken down and they are asking for advice on what to do next. It conveys a sense of sudden inconvenience and a request for help.
When to use
Use this sentence when your vehicle stops working unexpectedly—whether you’re stranded on the road, at home, or in a parking lot—and you need suggestions from a friend, a mechanic, or a passerby.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Lamacchinasièrotta.Chefaccio?
Reflexive verb (si è rotta)
The verb 'rompersi' is used reflexively to indicate that something broke on its own; it conjugates with 'essere' in the passato prossimo.
Passato prossimo with essere
When using 'essere' as the auxiliary, the past participle agrees in gender and number with the subject (macchina is feminine singular, so 'rotta').
Interrogative pronoun 'Che'
'Che' means 'what' and is used here to ask for advice, equivalent to 'What should I do?'.
Verb 'faccio' (fare)
'Faccio' is the first‑person singular present of 'fare', meaning 'I do' or 'I make', used here in the sense of 'I should do'.
🗨In Conversation
La macchina si è rotta. Che faccio?
My car broke down. What should I do?
Chiama l’assistenza stradale e chiedi se hanno un carro attrezzi vicino.
Call roadside assistance and ask if they have a tow truck nearby.
✕Common Mistakes
La macchina si è rotto.
The past participle must agree with the feminine noun 'macchina', so it should be 'rotta'.
La macchina si è rotta. Che faccio?
If you want a more formal tone, use 'Cosa devo fare?' instead of the colloquial 'Che faccio?'.
↔Alternatives
La macchina non funziona più. Cosa devo fare?
The car no longer works. What must I do?
Il mio veicolo si è guasto. Hai qualche consiglio?
My vehicle broke down. Do you have any advice?
Ho un problema con l'auto, non parte. Che mi consigli?
I have a problem with the car, it won’t start. What do you recommend?
Cultural Tip
In Italy, it’s common to call the national roadside assistance service (e.g., ACI, Autostrade per l'Italia) or a local garage. When asking for help, Italians often add a polite ‘per favore’ or a friendly ‘scusa’ before the request. Also, note that ‘macchina’ is the everyday word for ‘car’, while ‘auto’ is a bit more formal.