Spanish · Tintorería / sastre
You wash your laundry at a self-service laundrette: what to say in Spanish
You use a self-service laundry.
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How it's done. A lavandería de autoservicio is a self-service laundry: coins or card; there are lavadora (washer) and secadora (dryer); say ¿Cómo funciona?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
Perdone, ¿cómo funciona esta lavadora?
Pehr-DOH-neh, KOH-moh foon-SYOH-nuh ES-tuh luh-buh-DOH-ruh?
Excuse me, how does this washing machine work?
THEY SAY
Meta la ropa, elija el programa y pague en la máquina.MEH-tuh lah ROH-puh, eh-LEE-khuh el proh-GRAH-muh ee PAH-geh en lah MAH-kee-nuh.
Put in the clothes, choose the program and pay at the machine.
They might also say:
Ponga la ropa, escoja el programa y pague aquí.
POHN-guh lah ROH-puh, es-KOH-khuh el proh-GRAH-muh ee PAH-geh uh-KEE.
Put in the clothes, pick the programme and pay here.
2
YOU REPLY
¿Y el detergente?
Ee el deh-tehr-KHAYN-teh?
And the detergent?
THEY SAY
Se compra en la máquina de al lado.Seh KOM-pruh en lah MAH-kee-nuh deh ahl LAH-doh.
It's bought at the machine next to it.
3
YOU FINISH
Muchas gracias. Ahora lo pruebo.
MOO-chuhs GRAH-syuhs. Uh-OH-ruh loh proo-EH-boh.
Thank you very much. I'll try it now.
THEY SAY
De nada. Si falla, llámeme.Deh NAH-duh. See FAH-ah, YAH-meh-meh.
You're welcome. If it fails, call me.
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
Perdone
Pehr-DOH-neh
verb
excuse me, sorry
funciona
foon-SYOH-nuh
verb
works (a device)
lavadora
luh-buh-DOH-ruh
noun
washing machine
Meta
MEH-tuh
verb
put in
ropa
ROH-puh
noun
clothes
elija
eh-LEE-khuh
verb
choose
23 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 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
→You collect your things from the dry cleaner'sTintorería / sastre · A2 in the app
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