Inklingo

How to Say "repair" in Spanish

English → Spanish

arreglar

ah-rreh-GLAHR/arreˈɣlaɾ/

VerbA1General
Use 'arreglar' when you are talking about the action of fixing or mending something that is broken or not working, especially machines, devices, or vehicles.
A small child carefully using tape to repair a broken wooden toy train on a colorful rug.

Examples

Necesito arreglar la puerta del garaje. Está caída.

I need to fix the garage door. It has fallen down.

Mi hermano arregló mi bicicleta vieja para que pudiera usarla.

My brother repaired my old bicycle so I could use it.

arreglo

/ah-rreh-glo//aˈrreɣlo/

NounA2General
Use 'arreglo' when you are referring to the repair itself as a thing, often in a more formal context or when discussing the process or result of fixing something.
A wooden chair with a visible patch or glue fixing a broken leg, illustrating the concept of repair.

Examples

Necesito llevar mi coche al taller para el arreglo de los frenos.

I need to take my car to the shop for the repair of the brakes.

¿Puedes hacer un arreglo rápido a esta falda?

Can you make a quick fix (or mend) to this skirt?

Después del arreglo, la casa se veía mucho mejor.

After tidying up, the house looked much better.

Masculine Noun

Even though it ends in '-o', remember that 'arreglo' is always masculine, using 'el' or 'un'.

Using 'arreglar' instead of 'arreglo'

Mistake:Hice la arreglar de la bici.

Correction: Hice el arreglo de la bici. ('Arreglar' is the verb 'to fix'; 'arreglo' is the noun 'the fix/repair'.)

Verb vs. Noun Confusion

The most common mistake is using the noun 'arreglo' when you mean the action of repairing. Remember, 'arreglar' is the verb (to fix), and 'arreglo' is the noun (the repair).

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.