Spanish · Tintorería / sastre
An item was damaged at the dry cleaner's: what to say in Spanish
An item was damaged at the dry cleaner's.
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How it's done. If an item was damaged tell them at once with the receipt and photos; the cleaner may compensate under the rules; ask for a letter on liability.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
Esta camisa está desteñida. Antes no estaba así.
ES-tuh kuh-MEE-suh es-TAH des-teh-NEE-duh. AHN-tes noh es-TAH-buh uh-SEE.
This shirt has faded. It wasn't like this before.
THEY SAY
Lo siento. Déjeme verla.Loh SYAYN-toh. DEH-kheh-meh BEHR-luh.
I'm sorry. Let me see it.
They might also say:
Disculpe. Veamos qué ha pasado.
Dees-KOOL-peh. Beh-AH-mos keh uh puh-SAH-doh.
Sorry. Let's see what happened.
2
YOU REPLY
Quiero que me lo compensen.
KYEH-roh keh meh loh kom-PAYN-sayn.
I want you to compensate me.
THEY SAY
Hablo con el encargado y le contesto.AH-bloh kohn el ayn-kuhr-GAH-doh ee leh kohn-TES-toh.
I'll speak to the manager and answer you.
3
YOU FINISH
Gracias. ¿Cuándo me contestará?
GRAH-syuhs. Koo-AHN-doh meh kohn-tes-tuh-RAH?
Thanks. When will you answer me?
THEY SAY
Mañana, sin falta.Muh-NYAH-nuh, seen FAHL-tuh.
Tomorrow, without fail.
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
camisa
kuh-MEE-suh
noun
shirt
está
es-TAH
verb
is, is located
desteñida
des-teh-NEE-duh
adjective
faded (feminine)
Antes
AHN-tes
adverb
before
no
noh
adverb
no
estaba
es-TAH-buh
verb
was
22 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?
¿Puede escribírmelo, por favor?
Poo-EH-deh es-kree-BEER-meh-loh, por fuh-BOR?
Can you write it down for me, please?
¿Qué significa esto?
Keh seeg-nee-FEE-kuh ES-toh?
What does this mean?
Similar situations
You wash your laundry at a self-service laundretteTintorería / sastre · A2 in the app
→You ask how to wash delicate itemsTintorería / sastre · A2 in the app
→You take clothes to the dry cleaner'sTintorería / sastre · A2 in the app
→You ask about prices and turnaround timesTintorería / sastre · A2 in the app
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