Apartment Spanish is calm language for annoying situations. The sink leaks. The hot water disappears. The power goes out. The mysterious device in the corner starts making a noise that feels personal.
You need phrases like no jala, no funciona, hay una fuga, se fue la luz, and necesito un plomero.
The apartment problem map
Text the problem like this: what, where, since when, how urgent.
| Problem | Say this |
|---|---|
| It does not work | No funciona / no jala |
| There is a leak | Hay una fuga |
| It is dripping | Está goteando |
| The power went out | Se fue la luz |
| There is no hot water | No hay agua caliente |
| I need a plumber | Necesito un plomero |
| It started yesterday | Empezó ayer |
| It is urgent | Es urgente |
Funcionar means to function or work.1 If you want neutral Spanish, use no funciona. If you want everyday Mexican casual, no jala is the phrase people actually say.
The best repair text
Send one clean message.
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Hola, tengo un problema con el lavabo. Está goteando desde ayer. ¿Me puede ayudar a revisarlo?Hi, I have a problem with the sink. It has been dripping since yesterday. Can you help me get it checked?
-
Se fue la luz en el depa. ¿Sabe si es del edificio o solo del departamento?The power went out in the apartment. Do you know if it is the building or just the apartment?
Do not start with panic. Start with facts. Panic can join later if needed.
Fuga, goteando, and plomero
Fuga can mean leak or escape depending on context.2 In apartment life, it is often water or gas, and it is not a word to ignore.
Gotear means to drip.3 Plomero is plumber.4
| Situation | Message |
|---|---|
| Small drip | Está goteando |
| Visible leak | Hay una fuga |
| Bigger leak | Hay una fuga fuerte |
| Need plumber | ¿Puede mandar un plomero? |
| Need urgency | Es urgente, está saliendo mucha agua |
Se fue la luz
Luz means light,5 but in Mexico it often means electricity in home talk. Se fue la luz means the power went out.
Use:
-
Se fue la luz en el departamento.The power went out in the apartment.
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No hay luz en la cocina.There is no power/light in the kitchen.
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¿Sabe si se fue en todo el edificio?Do you know if it went out in the whole building?
Urgent or just annoying?
Use es urgente when something can damage the apartment or put someone at risk: flooding, gas smell, electrical danger, no access, or security issues.
For annoying but not urgent:
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No es urgente, pero sí me gustaría revisarlo esta semana.It is not urgent, but I would like to get it checked this week.
That sentence is magical because it tells the truth and sets expectation. Very adult. Mildly heroic.
Local plumbing service pages in CDMX describe the same real problems learners have to name: fugas, obstructions, bathrooms, kitchens, and repairs in apartments or buildings.6
Sources
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Diccionario de la lengua española, funcionar — Real Academia Española ↩
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Diccionario de la lengua española, fuga — Real Academia Española ↩
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Diccionario de la lengua española, gotear — Real Academia Española ↩
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Diccionario de la lengua española, plomero — Real Academia Española ↩
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Diccionario de la lengua española, luz — Real Academia Española ↩
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Plomeros CDMX, servicios de plomería en CDMX — Plomeros CDMX ↩
Test yourself
tap an answer.
The sink is leaking. What do you text?
What is the neutral version of no jala?
Se fue la luz means...
