In this workshop you practice a short, polite conversation about problems in a room or apartment. You will report that the air conditioning is not working, say there is no hot water, ask someone to check it, and understand a simple reply about a visit time. Each native example comes from the recordings, and you can play both roles with the audio. The goal is to speak clearly and politely, not to memorize long sentences.
Report the problem clearly
Start with a polite opening and then name the problem. To say the air conditioning is not working, use the line «El aire acondicionado no funciona.». The word funciona describes a machine or device that should be running. If the unit turns on but does not cool, you can say «El aire no enfría.». To report missing hot water, use «No hay agua caliente.». The phrase no hay means there is not or there are not, and it works for water, electricity, or supplies. Keep your tone calm and direct. A short report is enough; you do not need to explain why the problem happened.
Ask for a repair visit
After you report the problem, ask for help. A polite request is «¿Puede mandar a alguien a revisarlo?». The pronoun lo at the end refers to the air conditioner, so the person understands what needs checking. In a full exchange, you can combine the report and the request. First say «Disculpe, el aire acondicionado no funciona.» to get attention and state the problem. If the staff member asks about hot water, answer with «Sí, no hay agua caliente. ¿Puede mandar a alguien a revisarlo?». This line confirms the missing hot water and repeats the request for someone to check it. Speak slowly and pause between the problem and the request.
Understand the reply
Listen for the answer after your request. A staff member may apologize and ask a follow-up question, as in «Lo siento. ¿También no hay agua caliente?». The word también means also, so the question checks whether the hot water problem is present too. When you hear a reply like «Claro. Podemos ir hoy a las cinco.», the person agrees and gives a time for the visit. Claro means of course, and the rest of the line states when they can come. You do not need to repeat the whole sentence back. A simple gracias or a nod is enough in real life, but for speaking practice, repeat the key time to show you understood.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
El aire acondicionado no funciona.
The air conditioning isn't working.
el AI-reh ah-kon-dee-see-oh-NAH-doh noh foon-SEE-oh-nah
No hay agua caliente.
There is no hot water.
noh ai AH-gwah kah-LYEN-teh
El aire no enfría.
The air conditioning isn't cooling.
el AI-reh noh en-FREE-ah
¿Puede mandar a alguien a revisarlo?
Can you send someone to check it?
PWEH-deh man-DAR ah AL-gyen ah reh-vee-SAR-loh
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
Disculpe, el aire acondicionado no funciona.
Excuse me, the air conditioning isn't working.Lo siento. ¿También no hay agua caliente?
I'm sorry. Is there also no hot water?Sí, no hay agua caliente. ¿Puede mandar a alguien a revisarlo?
Yes, there is no hot water. Can you send someone to check it?Claro. Podemos ir hoy a las cinco.
Of course. We can go today at five.Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided exchange: report and request
Imagine you are a guest in a hotel room. The air conditioning is not working, and you also have no hot water. You will speak to the front desk. Play the guest audio for the model and speak the guest lines aloud. Then use the staff audio in the followUp.
Your task: Say your first line to get attention and report the air conditioning problem. Use the full line from the recording: «Disculpe, el aire acondicionado no funciona.». Then say that there is no hot water using «No hay agua caliente.». Finally, ask if they can send someone to check it using «¿Puede mandar a alguien a revisarlo?». Speak each line clearly and politely.
Reply comprehension: choose the correct response
You have just reported a problem. The staff member replies with a question. You will hear the audio and then choose the best answer from the options below. This checks whether you understand the follow-up question.
Your task: Play the staff question audio. It asks if there is also no hot water. Choose the correct response: (A) Confirm that there is no hot water and repeat the request for someone to check it. (B) Say that the air conditioning is working now. (C) Ask for a different room. If you choose A, say the recorded guest line aloud: «Sí, no hay agua caliente. ¿Puede mandar a alguien a revisarlo?».
Recall with correct roles: guest and staff
Now you will practice both roles. First, play the guest audio and speak the staff lines. Then play the staff audio and speak the guest lines. This helps you remember the whole exchange from both sides.
Your task: As the staff member, apologize and ask if there is also no hot water. Use the full recorded line «Lo siento. ¿También no hay agua caliente?». Then, as the guest, confirm the hot water problem and ask for someone to check it using «Sí, no hay agua caliente. ¿Puede mandar a alguien a revisarlo?». Finally, as the staff member, agree and give the visit time using «Claro. Podemos ir hoy a las cinco.». Speak each line aloud without reading if you can.
Common questions
What is the difference between no funciona and no enfría?
No funciona means it is not working at all. Use it when the device does not turn on or does not run. No enfría means it is not cooling. Use it when the unit turns on but does not make the room cold. Both are useful, but they describe different situations.
How do I ask for a repair politely?
Use the recorded request line «¿Puede mandar a alguien a revisarlo?». It starts with puede, which means can you in this polite question, and ends with revisarlo, which means to check it. The pronoun lo refers to the air conditioner. This is a polite and clear way to ask for a technician.
Sources and further reading
- spanish: report a problem in the roomChecked September 2026
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