Spanish for a Loose Sole: Asking a Cobbler to Glue It
Learn to say 'La suela está despegada' and ask '¿Puede pegarla?' at a shoe repair stall, with polite questions and useful repair vocabulary.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
When the sole of your shoe comes loose, you need a few precise Spanish words, not a whole dictionary. This lesson teaches you to describe the problem clearly and ask a cobbler to fix it politely. You will learn the key phrase 'La suela está despegada' (the sole is unstuck) and the request '¿Puede pegarla?' (can you glue it?). You will also practice asking when it will be ready and how much it costs, using general Latin American Spanish that works in most shoe repair stalls.
By the end, you can…
- describe a loose sole using 'La suela está despegada.'
- politely ask a cobbler to glue or repair it.
- ask when the repair will be ready and how much it costs.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
La suela está despegada.
The sole is unstuck.
lah SWEH-lah es-TAH des-peh-GAH-dah
Point to the shoe as you say this. 'Despegada' means the glued part has come apart, which is exactly the problem at a cobbler's stall.
¿Puede pegarla?
Can you glue it?
PWEH-deh peh-GAR-lah
Polite request using 'puede' (you can, formal). The '-la' at the end refers to 'la suela' (the sole).
¿Puede arreglarla?
Can you repair it?
PWEH-deh ah-reh-GLAR-lah
Use this if the damage is more than just a loose sole, for example a tear or a broken heel.
¿Cuánto cuesta?
How much does it cost?
KWAHN-toh KWEHS-tah
Ask this before leaving the shoe. It is neutral and polite in most Spanish-speaking regions.
¿Cuándo está listo?
When is it ready?
KWAHN-doh es-TAH LEES-toh
Use 'listo' for a masculine object like 'el zapato' or 'el arreglo'. If you are talking about 'la reparación', say '¿Cuándo está lista?'
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To describe a shoe problem, use 'La suela está' plus an adjective: 'La suela está despegada' (the sole is unstuck), 'La suela está rota' (the sole is torn), 'La suela está suelta' (the sole is loose). To ask for a fix, use '¿Puede' plus an infinitive plus 'la' or 'lo': '¿Puede pegarla?' (can you glue it?), '¿Puede coserla?' (can you sew it?), '¿Puede arreglarlo?' (can you fix it?). The pronoun 'la' refers to 'la suela', and 'lo' can refer to 'el zapato'.
When to use it
Use these phrases at a shoe repair stall when you show the shoe and point to the problem. Start with 'La suela está despegada' so the cobbler sees the exact issue. Then ask '¿Puede pegarla?' or '¿Puede arreglarla?' depending on the damage. After that, ask '¿Cuánto cuesta?' and '¿Cuándo está listo?' to get practical information. Keep your tone polite and calm; 'puede' is the formal 'you', which is appropriate with a shop worker you do not know.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Buenos días. La suela de este zapato está despegada.
Good morning. The sole of this shoe is unstuck.BWEH-nos DEE-ahs. lah SWEH-lah deh EHS-teh sah-PAH-toh es-TAH des-peh-GAH-dahClaro, puedo pegarla. ¿Quiere que también revise la otra suela?
Of course, I can glue it. Do you want me to check the other sole too?KLAH-roh, PWEH-doh peh-GAR-lah. KEE-eh-reh keh tahm-BYEHN reh-VEE-seh lah OH-trah SWEH-lahSí, por favor. ¿Cuánto cuesta y cuándo está listo?
Yes, please. How much does it cost and when is it ready?see, por fah-VOR. KWAHN-toh KWEHS-tah ee KWAHN-doh es-TAH LEES-tohPuede recogerlo mañana por la tarde.
You can pick it up tomorrow afternoon.PWEH-deh reh-koh-HEHR-loh mah-NYAH-nah por lah TAR-dehA little context goes a long way
In many Latin American cities, shoe repair stalls are small, family-run businesses. A polite greeting like 'Buenos días' before your request is expected and appreciated. The formal 'usted' form ('¿Puede...?') is safe and respectful with someone you do not know. If the cobbler speaks informally to you, you can still keep 'usted' without sounding distant; it is normal in service situations.
One thing to watch for
Saying 'La suela es despegada' instead of 'La suela está despegada.'
Try this instead: Use 'estar' for a temporary condition or result of an action. 'La suela está despegada' means the sole has come unstuck. 'Es despegada' would describe an inherent characteristic, which sounds wrong for a repair problem. Remember: 'está rota' (is torn), 'está suelta' (is loose), 'está despegada' (is unstuck).
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you tell a cobbler that the sole is unstuck?
Show a sample answer
La suela está despegada.
This uses 'está' for the current condition and 'despegada' for the glued part that has come apart. You could also point and say 'Está despegada' if the context is clear.
2How do you politely ask the cobbler to glue the sole?
Show a sample answer
¿Puede pegarla?
'Puede' is the formal 'you can', and 'pegarla' means 'to glue it', with 'la' referring to 'la suela'. You could also say '¿Puede pegarme la suela?' with the same meaning.
3Ask when the repair will be ready.
Show a sample answer
¿Cuándo está listo?
This works when talking about 'el zapato' or 'el arreglo'. If you are talking about 'la reparación', say '¿Cuándo está lista?' The adjective agrees with the noun.
Show the shoe, say 'La suela está despegada', then ask '¿Puede pegarla?' and '¿Cuánto cuesta?' Keep it polite with 'puede' and you will handle the repair stall with confidence.
Progress is saved on this browser.
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Put today’s Spanish into a conversation with an AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr