"How come" , "How did you come to" , "How "

by Majid
(Tehran,Iran)

Could you explain to me the difference between the following sentences?

-How come you broke your leg?
-How did you come to break your leg?
-How did you break your leg?

Thanks a lot.

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Ok Majid, we need to be careful with the first example. If you say "how come" in that context it insinuates or assumes that the person who broke their leg did so, on purpose. It is like asking someone "Why did you break your leg?"

How come = why

The second example is more formal but a little un-natural (in my opinion). It is talking about your current state (having a broken leg) and how to came to that situation.

The third option is the best one if you want to know how someone’s leg was broken. It is simple, informal (although could be used in formal situations) and very clear.

Hope that helps Majid.
Diana