Spanish · Taller
You explain to the mechanic what is wrong with the car: what to say in Spanish
You explain to the mechanic what is wrong with the car.
💡
How it's done. Description: hace un ruido (makes a noise), vibra, no arranca (won't start), pierde aceite, se calienta (overheats).Prepared by the Movko team, November 2026. This is language help, not legal or medical advice: check the rules with the office itself.
Cheat sheet for your visit
The first phrase is open: tap ▶ to listen, or “Show” to show it to the other person. The rest of the dialogue is in the course in the app.
1
YOU START
El coche hace un ruido raro al frenar.
El KOH-cheh AH-seh oon roo-EE-doh RAH-roh ahl freh-NAHR.
The car makes a strange noise when braking.
THEY SAY
¿Desde cuándo lo hace?DEZ-deh koo-AHN-doh loh AH-seh?
Since when has it done that?
They might also say:
¿Cuánto hace que le pasa?
Koo-AHN-toh AH-seh keh leh PAH-suh?
How long has it been happening?
2
YOU REPLY
Desde hace unos diez días.
DEZ-deh AH-seh OO-nos dyehs DEE-uhs.
For about ten days.
THEY SAY
Puede ser las pastillas de freno. Lo reviso.Poo-EH-deh sehr lahs puhs-TEE-ahs deh FREH-noh. Loh reh-BEE-soh.
It might be the brake pads. I'll check.
3
YOU FINISH
Gracias. ¿Me avisa cuando lo sepa?
GRAH-syuhs. Meh uh-BEE-suh koo-AHN-doh loh SEH-puh?
Thanks. Will you tell me when you know?
THEY SAY
Sí, le llamo esta tarde.See, leh YAH-moh ES-tuh TAHR-deh.
Yes, I'll call you this afternoon.
The course is in the app
This dialogue is part of the course “Spanish for life in Spain”: 416 situations with audio, a pronunciation guide and spaced review.
On the website the first dialogue, the 112 category, the rescue phrases and the “Basics” are fully open.
Words worth knowing
coche
KOH-cheh
noun
car
hace
AH-seh
verb
makes, does
ruido
roo-EE-doh
noun
noise
raro
RAH-roh
adjective
strange
frenar
freh-NAHR
verb
to brake
cuándo
koo-AHN-doh
adverb
when
24 more words, with explanations, base forms and tap-a-word help, are in the app.
If you did not understand
¿Puede repetirlo, por favor?
Poo-EH-deh reh-peh-TEER-loh, por fuh-BOR?
Can you repeat that, please?
¿Puede hablar más despacio, por favor?
Poo-EH-deh uh-BLAHR mahs des-PAH-syoh, por fuh-BOR?
Can you speak more slowly, please?
¿Qué significa esto?
Keh seeg-nee-FEE-kuh ES-toh?
What does this mean?
Similar situations
Found a mistake? Write to us and we will fix it. This is language help, not medical or legal advice.Report