Introduction
When something breaks in your home or apartment, you may need to communicate with maintenance staff or repair professionals who speak Spanish. Whether you live in a Spanish-speaking country or work with Spanish-speaking maintenance teams, knowing how to respond when they ask what is broken is an essential practical skill. In this guide, we’ll explore common Spanish phrases and expressions that allow you to clearly describe household problems, explain what needs fixing, and communicate effectively with maintenance personnel. Understanding these phrases will help you feel more confident in real-world situations and ensure that repair professionals understand exactly what issues need attention.
Understanding the Initial Question
What Maintenance Workers Ask
When a maintenance person arrives to help, they typically start with a straightforward question: ¿Qué está roto? (What is broken?) or ¿Cuál es el problema? (What is the problem?). Sometimes they might ask ¿Qué pasó? (What happened?) to understand the situation from the beginning. These are the most common opening questions you’ll encounter.
You might also hear variations like ¿Qué no funciona? (What doesn’t work?) or ¿Cuál es la avería? (What is the malfunction?). Understanding these questions is the first step toward responding effectively. These questions are usually simple and direct, allowing you to provide a clear answer about the specific problem.
Basic Response Structure
The Simplest Way to Respond
The most straightforward way to respond is to start with El/La está roto/a (The… is broken) followed by the item in question. For example, El fregadero está roto (The sink is broken) or La puerta está rota (The door is broken). Remember that Spanish nouns have genders, so you need to use the correct masculine (el/está roto) or feminine (la/está rota) form.
You can also use No funciona (It doesn’t work) as a universal response that works for most situations. This phrase is neutral and doesn’t require you to match the gender of the noun. Simply say El refrigerador no funciona (The refrigerator doesn’t work) or El aire acondicionado no funciona (The air conditioner doesn’t work).
Common Household Items and How to Describe Them
Kitchen and Plumbing Issues
Kitchen-related problems are among the most common issues maintenance workers address. El grifo está roto (The faucet is broken) or El grifo está goteando (The faucet is leaking) are useful phrases for water-related problems. In some regions, people use la llave instead of grifo for faucet, so la llave está rota is equally correct.
For sink problems, you can say El fregadero está atascado (The sink is clogged) or El fregadero no drena (The sink won’t drain). If the stovetop has issues, try La estufa no enciende (The stove won’t turn on) or La hornilla está dañada (The burner is damaged). These specific phrases help maintenance staff understand exactly what kitchen component requires attention.
Bathroom Fixtures
Bathroom problems require their own set of vocabulary. El inodoro está roto (The toilet is broken) or El inodoro está flojo (The toilet is loose) are common complaints. For shower issues, you might say La ducha no tiene presión de agua (The shower has no water pressure) or El agua caliente no funciona (The hot water doesn’t work).
If the bathroom mirror is damaged, El espejo del baño está roto (The bathroom mirror is broken) communicates the problem clearly. Water leaks are also frequent bathroom issues, so knowing Hay una fuga de agua (There is a water leak) or Está goteando (It’s dripping) will serve you well in many situations.
Doors, Windows, and Locks
For structural issues, La puerta está rota (The door is broken) or La puerta no cierra bien (The door doesn’t close properly) are essential phrases. Similarly, La ventana está rota (The window is broken) or La ventana no abre (The window won’t open) address window-related problems. Locks are important for security, so La cerradura está rota (The lock is broken) or La cerradura no abre (The lock won’t open) are valuable expressions.
You might also encounter situations where La bisagra está dañada (The hinge is damaged) or El pestillo está roto (The latch is broken) are relevant. These specific terms help maintenance professionals identify exactly which component needs repair rather than replacing the entire door or window.
Electrical and Climate Control Problems
Lighting and Power Issues
Electrical problems are common in homes. La luz no funciona (The light doesn’t work) is the most basic expression, though you can be more specific with La bombilla está quemada (The light bulb is burned out). For broader electrical issues, No hay corriente en este tomacorriente (There is no power in this outlet) or El enchufe no funciona (The outlet doesn’t work) explain the problem effectively.
If an entire room lacks power, you might say La habitación no tiene electricidad (The room has no electricity) or Se fue la luz (The light went out). For security lighting or outdoor fixtures, La lámpara exterior está rota (The outdoor lamp is broken) or El interruptor está dañado (The switch is damaged) provide clear descriptions of specific problems.
Heating and Cooling Systems
Climate control is crucial for comfort. El aire acondicionado no funciona (The air conditioner doesn’t work) or La calefacción no funciona (The heating doesn’t work) are straightforward explanations of temperature-related problems. You might also need to explain that El aire acondicionado no enfría (The air conditioner doesn’t cool) or Hace mucho frío (It’s very cold, referring to insufficient heat).
For more specific issues, El termostato está roto (The thermostat is broken) or Sale aire caliente en lugar de frío (Hot air is coming out instead of cold) help maintenance staff diagnose the problem more quickly. In some regions, people also use El ventilador no funciona (The fan doesn’t work) to address separate cooling concerns.
Describing the Problem in Detail
Adding Context and Symptoms
Sometimes simply stating what is broken isn’t enough. Adding details helps maintenance professionals diagnose problems faster. Empezó a funcionar mal ayer (It started malfunctioning yesterday) or Dejó de funcionar hace una semana (It stopped working a week ago) provides important context about when the problem started.
You can describe symptoms by saying Está haciendo un ruido extraño (It’s making a strange noise) or Está goteando agua constantemente (It’s constantly dripping water). For electrical issues, El aparato está chispeando (The appliance is sparking) or Hay un olor a quemado (There’s a burning smell) alert maintenance to potentially dangerous situations that require immediate attention.
Explaining What You’ve Already Tried
Maintenance workers appreciate knowing what troubleshooting steps you’ve already attempted. Ya lo intenté apagar y prender de nuevo (I already tried turning it off and on again) or Ya cambié la batería pero no funciona (I already changed the battery but it doesn’t work) can prevent them from suggesting solutions you’ve already explored.
You might also say Limpié el filtro pero sigue sin funcionar (I cleaned the filter but it still doesn’t work) or Revisé los cables y están bien conectados (I checked the cables and they’re well connected). These explanations demonstrate that you’ve taken basic troubleshooting steps and help maintenance professionals focus on more complex solutions.
Useful Supporting Phrases
Polite and Respectful Communication
Beyond describing what’s broken, using polite language ensures good communication. ¿Me puede ayudar, por favor? (Can you help me, please?) or ¿Podría revisar esto? (Could you check this?) sets a respectful tone. Le agradezco su ayuda (I appreciate your help) shows gratitude for their service.
If you need clarification, you can ask ¿Cuánto tiempo tardará en repararlo? (How long will it take to repair?) or ¿Es algo grave? (Is it something serious?). These questions show that you’re engaged and concerned about the situation, which often results in better service.
Pointing and Showing
Sometimes combining words with gestures is most effective. You can say Es esto (It’s this) or Está aquí (It’s here) while pointing to the broken item. Mire, no funciona (Look, it doesn’t work) and then demonstrating the problem often works better than lengthy explanations.
For items that are difficult to describe, El problema está en esta parte (The problem is in this part) combined with pointing helps maintenance professionals immediately identify the issue. Visual communication is often just as important as verbal communication in these situations.
Regional Variations and Vocabulary Differences
Vocabulary Across Spanish-Speaking Countries
Spanish varies across different countries and regions, which means maintenance-related vocabulary might differ. El fregadero (sink) is used in Spain, while la pileta is common in Argentina and el lavadero is used in some Central American countries. Similarly, el refrigerador is standard in most of Latin America, but la nevera is preferred in Spain.
For toilets, el inodoro is formal Spanish, but you might hear la taza (the bowl) in casual conversation, or el retrete in older Spanish usage. El aire acondicionado is universal, but la maquinita is sometimes used informally. Understanding these regional differences helps you communicate more naturally with local maintenance workers.
Conclusion
Responding effectively when maintenance asks what is broken combines understanding common Spanish vocabulary, matching gender with nouns, and providing clear descriptions of problems. By mastering basic phrases like El está roto, No funciona, and specific appliance names, you’ll confidently communicate household issues to Spanish-speaking repair professionals. Remember
