Spanish · Avería / grúa
The car broke down on the motorway and you call for help: what to say in Spanish
Your car broke down on the motorway and you call for help.
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How it's done. When broken down on a motorway switch on hazards, put on the vest, stand behind the barrier and phone assistance or 112; the Guardia Civil come if it's dangerous.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
Hola, mi coche se ha averiado en la autopista. Necesito una grúa.
OH-luh, mee KOH-cheh seh uh uh-beh-RYAH-doh en lah ow-toh-PEES-tuh. Neh-seh-SEE-toh OO-nuh GROO-uh.
Hello, my car has broken down on the motorway. I need a tow truck.
THEY SAY
¿Dónde está exactamente?DOHN-deh es-TAH ek-suhk-tuh-MAYN-teh?
Where exactly are you?
They might also say:
¿En qué punto kilométrico se encuentra?
En keh POON-toh kee-loh-MEH-tree-koh seh ayn-koo-AYN-truh?
At what kilometre point are you?
2
YOU REPLY
En la A-seis, en el kilómetro cuarenta, dirección Madrid.
En lah Uh-says, en el kee-LOH-meh-troh koo-uh-RAYN-tuh, dee-rek-SYOHN Muh-DREED.
On the A-six, at kilometre forty, direction Madrid.
THEY SAY
Le enviamos una grúa. Llegará en cuarenta minutos.Leh ayn-BYAH-mos OO-nuh GROO-uh. Yeh-guh-RAH en koo-uh-RAYN-tuh mee-NOO-tos.
We're sending a tow truck. It will arrive in forty minutes.
3
YOU FINISH
Muchas gracias. Espero aquí.
MOO-chuhs GRAH-syuhs. Es-PEH-roh uh-KEE.
Thank you very much. I'll wait here.
THEY SAY
Perfecto. Póngase en un lugar seguro y encienda las luces de emergencia.Pehr-FEK-toh. POHN-guh-seh en oon loo-GAHR seh-GOO-roh ee ayn-SYAYN-duh lahs LOO-ses deh eh-mehr-KHAYN-syuh.
Perfect. Stay somewhere safe and switch on your hazard lights.
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
ha
uh
verb
has (auxiliary)
averiado
uh-beh-RYAH-doh
adjective
broken down
autopista
ow-toh-PEES-tuh
noun
motorway
Necesito
Neh-seh-SEE-toh
verb
I need
grúa
GROO-uh
noun
tow truck
33 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?
Todavía no hablo bien español.
Toh-duh-BEE-uh noh AH-bloh byayn es-puh-NYOL.
I don't speak Spanish well yet.
¡Gracias!
GRAH-syuhs!
Thank you!
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