Spanish · Averías / reparaciones
You ask for a blocked drain to be cleared: what to say in Spanish
You ask for a drain to be unblocked.
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How it's done. A blockage is an atasco; desatascar means to unblock; the fontanero (plumber) does it; the owner pays if it's not due to negligence.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 fregadero está atascado y no baja el agua.
El freh-guh-DEH-roh es-TAH uh-tuhs-KAH-doh ee noh BAH-khuh el AH-goo-uh.
The sink is blocked and the water doesn't go down.
THEY SAY
Mando al fontanero hoy mismo.MAHN-doh ahl fohn-tuh-NEH-roh oy MEEZ-moh.
I'll send the plumber today.
They might also say:
Hoy mismo va el fontanero.
Oy MEEZ-moh bah el fohn-tuh-NEH-roh.
The plumber will go today.
2
YOU REPLY
Gracias. ¿A qué hora vendrá?
GRAH-syuhs. Uh keh OH-ruh bayn-DRAH?
Thanks. What time will he come?
THEY SAY
Por la tarde, sobre las cinco.Por lah TAHR-deh, SOH-breh lahs SEEN-koh.
In the afternoon, around five.
3
YOU FINISH
Perfecto. Estaré en casa. Gracias.
Pehr-FEK-toh. Es-tuh-REH en KAH-suh. GRAH-syuhs.
Perfect. I'll be at home. Thanks.
THEY SAY
De nada. Hasta luego.Deh NAH-duh. AHS-tuh loo-EH-goh.
You're welcome. See you later.
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
fregadero
freh-guh-DEH-roh
noun
kitchen sink
está
es-TAH
verb
is, is located
atascado
uh-tuhs-KAH-doh
adjective
blocked, stuck
no
noh
adverb
no
baja
BAH-khuh
noun
sick leave
agua
AH-goo-uh
noun
water
25 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
You are locked out without keysAverías / reparaciones · A2 in the app
→Neighbours complain about damp or noise from your flatAverías / reparaciones · B1 in the app
→The heating in the flat is not working and you phone the landlordAverías / reparaciones · A2 in the app
→A tap in the flat is leakingAverías / reparaciones · A2 in the app
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