This
week on Ask a Teacher, we
answer a request from Quang in
Vietnam, who says:
request: pedido;
Question:
It would be a big help if you could
teach me the difference between
“fix” and “repair.” Thank you so
much.
a big help: gran ayuda;
Answer:
Hello Quang, My cell phone was not
working yesterday. I tried to fix it
but I was unable to. So, I took it
to a shop to have it repaired.
was not working: no estaba
funcionando; tried to fix it:
intenté repararlo; I was unable
to: no logré (repararlo); so
I took it: de modo que lo llevé;
to have it repaired: para
hacerlo reparar;
The words FIX and REPAIR can be
verbs or nouns. Today, I will
focus mainly on
the verbs. Both verbs mean to put
something that is broken or damaged
back into good condition. Often, we
use FIX and REPAIR interchangeably,
which means either word can be used.
I will focus mainly on: me
concentraré principalmente en (focus
on, not
focus in);
both verbs mean: ambos verbos
significan; broken or damaged:
roto o dañado; back: a su
funcionamiento normal;
interchangeably: de forma
intercambiable; either word:
cualquiera las dos palabras;
can be used: puede utilizarse;
But the verb FIX is much more common
in everyday speech. Generally, we
use REPAIR when we want to sound
more formal.
We can also use REPAIR when someone
with expertise is doing the work.
everyday speech: la
conversación cotidiana; to sound
more formal: sonar más formales;
with expertise: con experiencia
o trayectoria;
For example, you can take your
clothing, phone, computer, car or
musical instrument to a shop to have
it repaired. Or a person might come
to your home to repair your air
conditioner,
refrigerator or
something else. In each of these
cases, the person doing the work is
an expert at it.
clothing: ropa, vestimentas;
might come to: podía ir a;
air conditioner: acondicionador
de aire; refrigerator:
heladera, nevera; or something
else: o algún otro objeto; in
each of: en cada uno de; an
expert at it: experto en ello (an
expert at, not
an expert in);
However, even when we are talking
about such repairs, we may still use
the word FIX. For example, you can
say, “The tailor
fixed the zipper
on my jeans” or “The repairman is
fixing the refrigerator”.
however: sin embargo; even
when: aún cuando; such
repairs: tales arreglos o
reparaciones; we may still use:
todavía podemos usar; tailor:
sastre; the zipper on my jeans:
el cierre de mis vaqueros;
repairman: técnico;
In other words, you can almost
always use FIX, except in some
cases.
in other words: en otras
palabras; almost always: casi
siempre;
Notice that I used the word “repairman.”
The word REPAIR appears in some job
titles, such
as repairman, repairwoman,
repairperson and repair technician.
We would not say
FIXPERSON,
for example. In addition, the word
REPAIR appears in the names of many
shops that do such work.
notice that: observa que;
appears: aparece; job titles:
nombres de empleos; repair
technician: técnico reparador;
we would not say: no deberíamos
decir; in addition: además;
that do such work: que hacen ese
tipo de trabajo;
One last thing to know: The verbs
FIX and REPAIR can have other
meanings. For example, when someone
says they are fixing food or drink,
it means they are preparing it.
one last thing to know: por
último algo para conocer; other
meanings: otros significados;
fixing food or drink: preparando
la comida o bebida.
And that’s Ask a Teacher for this
week. I’m Alice Bryant.