Reporting Problems in Mandarin: Broken AC and No Hot Water
Learn to say what's broken in your room, ask for repairs, and understand repair timelines in Mandarin Chinese.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
When something breaks in your room—the air conditioner stops cooling or the hot water disappears—you need to report it clearly in Mandarin. This lesson teaches you how to state the problem, ask for help, and understand when a repair will happen. You'll practice key phrases like 'The air conditioning isn't working' and learn to ask 'When will it be fixed?' You'll also learn how to distinguish reporting a problem from requesting an item, so you get the right help fast.
By the end, you can…
- say that the air conditioning or hot water isn't working.
- ask when a repair will be done and understand the answer.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
空调坏了。
The air conditioning is broken.
kōngtiáo huài le
Use '坏了' for anything that stops working. It's the most common way to report a malfunction.
没有热水。
There is no hot water.
méiyǒu rè shuǐ
Use '没有' to say something is absent or unavailable. This is different from '坏了' (broken).
空调不制冷。
The air conditioning isn't cooling.
kōngtiáo bù zhìlěng
Use '不制冷' to specify that the AC runs but doesn't cool. More precise than '坏了'.
请派人来修。
Please send someone to repair it.
qǐng pài rén lái xiū
A polite request for repair service. Use '修' for fixing machines or systems.
什么时候能修好？
When will it be fixed?
shénme shíhou néng xiū hǎo
Ask this to get a timeline. '修好' means 'fix completely'.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To report a problem, use '[thing] + 坏了' or '[thing] + 不 + [verb]'. For example: 空调坏了 (The AC is broken), 热水器坏了 (The water heater is broken), 空调不制冷 (The AC isn't cooling). To ask for a repair, say 请派人来修 (Please send someone to fix it). To ask about timing, use 什么时候能修好？(When can it be fixed?) The answer might be 今天下午 (this afternoon), 明天 (tomorrow), or 马上 (right away).
When to use it
Use these phrases when something in your room or apartment stops working. If the AC is broken, say 空调坏了. If there's no hot water, say 没有热水. If you need a repair, say 请派人来修. If you want to know when it will be fixed, ask 什么时候能修好？This is different from requesting an item like a towel or a toothbrush. For items, you'd say 我需要一条毛巾 (I need a towel) or 请给我一双拖鞋 (Please give me slippers). Reporting a problem focuses on what's wrong and getting it fixed.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
你好，我房间的空调坏了。
Hello, the air conditioning in my room is broken.nǐ hǎo, wǒ fángjiān de kōngtiáo huài le好的，我马上派人去修。
Okay, I'll send someone to fix it right away.hǎo de, wǒ mǎshàng pài rén qù xiū谢谢。还有，没有热水。
Thank you. Also, there is no hot water.xièxie. hái yǒu, méiyǒu rè shuǐ好的，大概今天下午能修好。
Okay, it can probably be fixed this afternoon.hǎo de, dàgài jīntiān xiàwǔ néng xiū hǎoA little context goes a long way
In China, service requests are often handled through a hotel front desk or a property management office (物业). When reporting a problem, be direct but polite. Using 请 (please) and 谢谢 (thank you) is standard. Repair timelines can vary; '马上' means 'right away' but may take a little time. If you need faster service, you can politely ask 能快点吗？(Can it be faster?) but avoid sounding demanding.
One thing to watch for
Saying '空调没有' to mean 'The AC is broken.'
Try this instead: '空调没有' means 'There is no air conditioner,' not that it's broken. To say it's broken, use '空调坏了' (kōngtiáo huài le). If it's not cooling, say '空调不制冷' (kōngtiáo bù zhìlěng).
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'The hot water is broken' in Mandarin?
Show a sample answer
热水器坏了。
This uses '热水器' (water heater) + '坏了' (broken). You could also say '没有热水' if there's no hot water at all, but '热水器坏了' specifically means the heater is broken.
2What should you say to ask 'When will it be fixed?'
Show a sample answer
什么时候能修好？
This is the standard way to ask for a repair timeline. You can also ask '什么时候能修？' but '修好' emphasizes completion.
3If you need an extra towel, would you say '毛巾坏了'? Why or why not?
Show a sample answer
No, you would say '我需要一条毛巾' or '请给我一条毛巾'.
'毛巾坏了' means 'The towel is broken,' which doesn't make sense. For requesting items, use '我需要' (I need) or '请给我' (Please give me).
Use '坏了' for broken things and '没有' for missing things. Ask '什么时候能修好？' to get a repair timeline. Keep requests polite with '请' and '谢谢'.
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