---
title: "No Jala, Se Descompuso, Está Goteando: Mexican Spanish for Repairs"
description: "Learn Mexican Spanish for repair visits: no jala, se descompuso, está goteando, hace ruido, huele raro, técnico, and arreglar."
type: "article"
category: "living"
url: "https://consalsa.app/blog/mexican-spanish-repairs"
canonical: "https://consalsa.app/blog/mexican-spanish-repairs"
published: "2026-06-03"
updated: "2026-06-03"
author: "Andrey the Nomad"
site: "ConSalsa.App"
license: "https://consalsa.app/about"
---

# No Jala, Se Descompuso, Está Goteando: Mexican Spanish for Repairs
URL: https://consalsa.app/blog/mexican-spanish-repairs
Date: 2026-06-03
Updated: 2026-06-03
Category: living
Keywords: mexican spanish repairs, no jala se descompuso, spanish for repair technician, arreglar meaning spanish, mexico repair phrases
Summary: Learn Mexican Spanish for repair visits: no jala, se descompuso, está goteando, hace ruido, huele raro, técnico, and arreglar.

Quick answer:
- For repairs in Mexico, describe the function problem: no jala, no prende, no sale agua, está goteando, hace ruido, or huele raro.
- Se descompuso means it broke or stopped working. Arreglar means to fix. Técnico is a repair technician.
- If you do not know the object name, describe what it does: el aparato del agua caliente, la cosa del gas, la llave del lavabo.
- Ask for timing clearly: ¿cuándo puede venir?, ¿a qué hora llega?, and ¿cuánto cuesta la revisión?

What you'll learn:
- How to explain a broken thing without knowing the perfect noun.
- How to describe leaks, noises, smells, power, gas, and hot water problems.
- How to ask a technician about timing, cost, parts, and whether it can be fixed.
- How to avoid vague repair texts that create three follow-up calls.

Don't sound gringo:
When something breaks, don't overtalk it. Name the symptom first — no jala, se descompuso, está goteando — then add when it started.

Body:

Repairs are where your Spanish stops being cute and starts needing to describe reality. The thing broke. It drips. It does not turn on. It makes a noise that implies it has secrets.

You need <mark lang="es-MX">no jala</mark>, <mark lang="es-MX">se descompuso</mark>, <mark lang="es-MX">está goteando</mark>, <mark lang="es-MX">hace ruido</mark>, <mark lang="es-MX">huele raro</mark>, and <mark lang="es-MX">¿se puede arreglar?</mark>

## The repair phrase map

Describe what the thing is doing or not doing.

| Problem | Say this |
|---|---|
| It does not work | No jala / no funciona |
| It broke | Se descompuso |
| It does not turn on | No prende |
| It drips | Está goteando |
| It makes noise | Hace ruido |
| It smells weird | Huele raro |
| Can it be fixed? | ¿Se puede arreglar? |
| How much to check it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta la revisión? |

<mark lang="es-MX">Arreglar</mark> means to fix or arrange,[^rae-arreglar] and <mark lang="es-MX">descomponer</mark> is the verb behind <mark lang="es-MX">se descompuso</mark>.[^rae-descomponer]

## If you do not know the object name

This is the real learner problem. You do not know the word for the little round metal thing under the sink. Fine.

Describe function and place:

<ul class="examples">
  <li class="example">
    <div class="es" lang="es-MX">La llave del lavabo está goteando.</div>
    <div class="en" lang="en">The sink faucet is dripping.</div>
  </li>
  <li class="example">
    <div class="es" lang="es-MX">El aparato del agua caliente no prende.</div>
    <div class="en" lang="en">The hot water device does not turn on.</div>
  </li>
  <li class="example">
    <div class="es" lang="es-MX">La cosa del gas huele raro.</div>
    <div class="en" lang="en">The gas thing smells weird.</div>
  </li>
</ul>

**Ugly Spanish that identifies the problem is better than elegant silence.**

<figure>
  <img src="/images/blog/cdmx-street-vendors-people.jpg" alt="People standing near storefronts and street vendors in Mexico City." loading="lazy" />
  <figcaption>Local repair language is practical: what broke, where it is, when someone can come, and whether parts are needed. Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/man-standing-in-front-of-store-gscb7_qyE6o" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Carl Campbell on Unsplash</a>.</figcaption>
</figure>

## Técnico, revisión, and timing

<mark lang="es-MX">Técnico</mark> can refer to a technician or technical specialist.[^rae-tecnico] A repair visit may start with a <mark lang="es-MX">revisión</mark>, basically a check.

Ask:

| Need | Phrase |
|---|---|
| When can you come? | ¿Cuándo puede venir? |
| What time? | ¿A qué hora puede pasar? |
| Checkup cost | ¿Cuánto cuesta la revisión? |
| Repair cost | ¿Cuánto sale arreglarlo? |
| Need parts? | ¿Necesita alguna pieza? |
| Finished? | ¿Ya quedó? |

<div id="midpost-newsletter-slot"></div>

## Noise and smell are useful details

<mark lang="es-MX">Ruido</mark> means noise,[^rae-ruido] and <mark lang="es-MX">oler</mark> is the verb for smelling.[^rae-oler] If something makes noise or smells strange, say it.

<ul class="examples">
  <li class="example">
    <div class="es" lang="es-MX">Hace un ruido raro cuando prende.</div>
    <div class="en" lang="en">It makes a strange noise when it turns on.</div>
  </li>
  <li class="example">
    <div class="es" lang="es-MX">Huele raro cerca del boiler.</div>
    <div class="en" lang="en">It smells weird near the water heater.</div>
  </li>
  <li class="example">
    <div class="es" lang="es-MX">No lo quiero usar hasta que lo revisen.</div>
    <div class="en" lang="en">I do not want to use it until they check it.</div>
  </li>
</ul>

If you smell gas or suspect danger, stop treating this as vocabulary practice. Ventilate if appropriate, leave if needed, and contact the relevant building or emergency help.

<figure>
  <img src="/images/blog/cdmx-bookstore-cafe.jpg" alt="People sitting at tables outside a bookstore cafe in Mexico City." loading="lazy" />
  <figcaption>The repair text is often written from somewhere else, where the Wi-Fi works and the broken thing cannot hurt your feelings. Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/Pf5TNpaLyBs" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dick Hoogerdijk on Unsplash</a>.</figcaption>
</figure>

## A complete repair text

Copy the structure:

<ul class="examples">
  <li class="example">
    <div class="es" lang="es-MX">Hola, la lavadora se descompuso. No prende desde ayer. ¿Cuándo puede venir un técnico a revisarla?</div>
    <div class="en" lang="en">Hi, the washing machine broke. It has not turned on since yesterday. When can a technician come check it?</div>
  </li>
</ul>

Problem, symptom, timing, ask. That is the repair message. Everything else can wait.

Home Depot México's repair guidance uses everyday repair language around <mark lang="es-MX">fugas de agua</mark>, valves, toilets, and tools, which is exactly the vocabulary hidden inside a boring maintenance text.[^homedepot-plomeria]

[^rae-arreglar]: [Diccionario de la lengua española, arreglar](https://dle.rae.es/arreglar) — Real Academia Española
[^rae-descomponer]: [Diccionario de la lengua española, descomponer](https://dle.rae.es/descomponer) — Real Academia Española
[^rae-tecnico]: [Diccionario de la lengua española, técnico](https://dle.rae.es/t%C3%A9cnico) — Real Academia Española
[^rae-ruido]: [Diccionario de la lengua española, ruido](https://dle.rae.es/ruido) — Real Academia Española
[^rae-oler]: [Diccionario de la lengua española, oler](https://dle.rae.es/oler) — Real Academia Española
[^homedepot-plomeria]: [The Home Depot México Blog, cómo hacer reparaciones de plomería](https://blog.homedepot.com.mx/hazlo-tu-mismo/como-hacer-reparaciones-de-plomeria) — The Home Depot México

FAQ:
Q: What does no jala mean in Mexican Spanish?
A: No jala means it does not work. It is casual and common in Mexico.

Q: What does se descompuso mean?
A: Se descompuso means it broke, stopped working, or became faulty.

Q: How do you say can you fix it in Spanish?
A: Say ¿lo puede arreglar? or ¿se puede arreglar?

Q: How do I ask when a technician can come?
A: Say ¿cuándo puede venir? or ¿a qué hora puede pasar?

Q: How do you say it is making noise?
A: Say hace ruido.

Q: How do you say it smells strange?
A: Say huele raro. If you smell gas, treat it as urgent and get help immediately.

Q: How do I ask the cost of a repair check?
A: Say ¿cuánto cuesta la revisión? or ¿cuánto cobra por revisar?

Sources:
- Diccionario de la lengua española, arreglar: https://dle.rae.es/arreglar
- Diccionario de la lengua española, descomponer: https://dle.rae.es/descomponer
- Diccionario de la lengua española, técnico: https://dle.rae.es/t%C3%A9cnico
- Diccionario de la lengua española, ruido: https://dle.rae.es/ruido
- Diccionario de la lengua española, oler: https://dle.rae.es/oler
- The Home Depot México Blog, cómo hacer reparaciones de plomería: https://blog.homedepot.com.mx/hazlo-tu-mismo/como-hacer-reparaciones-de-plomeria

Related words: chafa, chamba, no-manches, sale