french equivalent of ''to be stuck''?

[Amy Wallington]

This is an almost completely British English saying I believe. The context would not literally be ''to  be attached to something and unable to escape'', but instead ''to be having problems/to be unable to do'' (esp schoolwork, this is a common phrase for students!) I've come across être coincé but I thought it might be too literal.

Thanks in advance! :)

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Cette phrase est presque seulement utilisée en anglais britannique, à mon avis. Le sens ici ne serait pas littéralement 'être attaché à qqch, en étant incapable d’échapper', mais au lieu 'avoir des problèmes/être incapable de faire qqch' (surtout les travaux scolaire, cette phrase-ci est dite très fréquemment par les étudiants!) Moi, je connais la phrase ’être coincé’ mais je pensais que c’était trop littéral.
Merci à l’avance! :-)

[alan gould]

Hopefully you'll get a response from a native speaker, but I've been studying the word recently and there are examples that indicate that the word is used the same way in English as illustrated in the two examples I was given:  

Ask for help the minute you're stuck.    Demandez de l'aide dès que vous êtes coincé.  

They used the dictionary when they got stuck.    Ils servent du dictionnaire lorsqu'ils se retrouvent coincés.  (I think the verb tense is wrong here, however).  

It's even used the same way when in English we mean "I'm burdened with..."  as in "I got stuck with cleaning all the dishes."   

[George Hunt]

I think it is "bloqué"  (as well as coincé)  .

It can be used for  difficult homework.

[Neige]

"Coincé" et "bloqué" work both very well ! This is the same expression in French and in English even if I think this is not very "formal" in written French (except in dialogs) : "je me retrouve coincé à faire la vaisselle" ; " je bloque sur cet excercice".

[Neil Coffey]

Maybe if there's a difference, "coincé" suggests more "in a difficult position", whereas "bloqué" (or "je me bloque") suggests more being mentally stuck?

[Neige]

Mmmmh... yes, you're right ! But I would not be shocked to hear (or to use) the former instead of the latter.

[Amy Wallington]

Thanks so much for all your help guys! Was just curious as to the French equivalent as it's something I say quite a lot! Thanks again :-)

[alan gould]

I should have pointed out in my response that American English uses the expression exactly the same as British English and it's extremely common.