03 · THE PLUMBER IS COMING… MAYBE. Spanish survival kit
🧠 Neuro-Spanish for You!
⭐ XP 0🔥 0💾 progress saved
EXPAT SURVIVAL SPAIN · SEASON 1 · EPISODE 03
THE PLUMBER IS COMING… MAYBE
Real Spanish for the problems nobody teaches you
Emma’s plumbing emergency in La Cala de Mijas. From “Hay una fuga” to “¿Me puede dar la factura?”: what to do, who to call, what to ask and how to understand the answer.
💊 Episode 01 · The Pharmacy Disaster · 🩺 Episode 02 · At the Doctor · 🔧 Episode 03 · The Plumber
HOW TO USE IT / CÓMO USARLO: scan the visual, listen to the chunks, build your own message and finish the rescue game. / Mira la infografía, escucha los trozos, crea tu mensaje y completa el juego.
🧲
FRIDGE RULE Save this page before the pipe starts leaking — not after.
Tap the image to open the printable original in Drive. / Pulsa la imagen para abrir el original imprimible.
01
What do I do?
Pick the route that matches the problem.
💧
Water is leaking now
Move valuables away, put a bucket or towels down and, if you know how and it is safe, close the llave de paso to limit damage.
Hay una fuga. He cerrado la llave de paso.
🔧
I need a plumber
Explain the problem in one short chunk, give your location and ask when they can come.
Necesito un fontanero. ¿Puede venir hoy?
🏢
It may affect the community building
If the leak may come from a communal pipe, roof, riser or another property, contact the building administrator or president as well as the plumber.
Creo que la fuga puede venir de una tubería comunitaria.
🛡️
I have home insurance
Before a costly repair, check whether your insurer wants you to use its assistance service or keep photos, reports and invoices.
Necesito una factura para el seguro.
⚠️ Safety first. If water is reaching sockets, electrical equipment or a dangerous area, do not improvise a repair. Keep away from the hazard and contact the appropriate professional or emergency service when there is immediate danger.
02
Before the plumber arrives
Five minutes of preparation can make the visit faster and easier.
📸
Take photos or a short video. Useful for explaining the problem and for insurance if needed.
🚰
Locate the llave de paso. Know where the water shut-off valve is before you need it urgently.
🧾
Ask about price before work starts. Say: “¿Cuánto cuesta el desplazamiento?” and “¿Me puede dar un presupuesto?”
🗺️
Send a clear location. Urbanisation name, block, floor, house number and a WhatsApp location can prevent confusion.
🛡️
Check your insurance procedure. Some policies use their own assistance network or require documentation.
🧠
Prepare one sentence, not twenty words. “Tengo una fuga debajo del fregadero” is your emergency chunk.
🧠 Neurotip: under stress, retrieve complete chunks. Learn “¿Puede venir hoy?” as one unit rather than translating each word in your head.
03
Who exactly do I call?
Six routes that prevent the wrong phone call — especially if you rent.
🔧
Fontanero / plumber
Leaks, taps, toilets, pipes, drains, water pressure and many ordinary water problems.
Necesito un fontanero.
🏢
Administrador de fincas
Useful when a problem may involve a communal element, another flat or the building’s insurance.
Voy a llamar al administrador de la comunidad.
🛡️
Seguro de hogar
Your home insurer may organise assistance or tell you what documents to keep.
Voy a llamar al seguro de hogar.
🔥
Técnico autorizado
For some boiler, gas or specialist appliance issues, you may need an authorised technician rather than a general plumber.
¿Necesito un técnico autorizado?
🔑
Propietario / agencia
If you rent, notify the landlord or agency promptly. Take photos and ask before authorising non-emergency work when practical.
Soy inquilina. Voy a avisar al propietario.
🚨
112 · only immediate danger
A routine leak needs a plumber, insurer or property contact. Use 112 only when there is an immediate serious danger to people or property.
Hay una inundación y existe un peligro inmediato.
04
On the phone
Read it · hear it · reuse it.
👨🔧Fontanero
Fontanería Costa Sol, dígame.
Costa Sol Plumbing, how can I help you?
👩Emma
Hola. Necesito un fontanero, por favor. Tengo una fuga debajo del fregadero.
Hello. I need a plumber, please. I have a leak under the sink.
👨🔧Fontanero
De acuerdo. ¿Pierde mucha agua?
Okay. Is a lot of water leaking?
👩Emma
Sí, bastante. El cubo se llena muy rápido.
Yes, quite a lot. The bucket fills up very quickly.
👨🔧Fontanero
¿Vive en La Cala de Mijas?
Do you live in La Cala de Mijas?
👩Emma
Sí. Mi dirección es Avenida de Rota, número 14.
Yes. My address is 14 Avenida de Rota.
👨🔧Fontanero
Puedo ir mañana por la mañana.
I can come tomorrow morning.
👩Emma
¿No puede venir hoy? Es bastante urgente.
Can’t you come today? It’s quite urgent.
📱 BONUS BRANCH · If they cannot come immediately
👨🔧Fontanero
Envíeme una foto por WhatsApp, por favor.
Send me a photo on WhatsApp, please.
👩Emma
Claro. ¿Quiere también un vídeo?
Of course. Would you like a video too?
👨🔧Fontanero
Sí. Y si puede, cierre la llave de paso hasta que llegue.
Yes. And if you can, turn off the water valve until I arrive.
👩Emma
De acuerdo. ¿A qué hora aproximadamente puede venir?
🧠 Neurotip: scan the whole conversation first. Then listen to the dialogue below once without repeating, a second time while reading, and a third time pausing after every line.
06
During the visit
The complete practical conversation.
👨🔧Fontanero
Buenos días. ¿Dónde está el problema?
Good morning. Where is the problem?
👩Emma
Aquí, debajo del fregadero. La tubería gotea y el grifo también pierde agua.
Here, under the sink. The pipe is dripping and the tap is leaking too.
👨🔧Fontanero
Voy a cerrar la llave de paso y revisar la tubería.
I’m going to turn off the water valve and check the pipe.
👩Emma
Perfecto. ¿Puede arreglarlo hoy?
Great. Can you fix it today?
👨🔧Fontanero
Creo que sí, pero necesito cambiar una pieza.
I think so, but I need to replace a part.
👩Emma
¿Cuánto costará, más o menos?
How much will it cost, roughly?
👨🔧Fontanero
Le preparo un presupuesto. Si todo va bien, hoy lo dejo arreglado.
I’ll prepare a quote for you. If all goes well, I’ll leave it fixed today.
👩Emma
Perfecto. ¿Me puede dar también la factura, por favor?
Perfect. Can you also give me the invoice, please?
💶 BONUS BRANCH · Before paying
👩Emma
¿El presupuesto incluye el desplazamiento y la mano de obra?
Does the quote include the call-out charge and labour?
👨🔧Fontanero
Sí. Aquí tiene el precio de la pieza, la mano de obra y el total.
Yes. Here you have the price of the part, labour and the total.
👩Emma
¿Tiene garantía la reparación?
Is the repair guaranteed?
👩Emma
¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?
Can I pay by card?
07
Build the phone call before you make it
Your personal plumber phrase generator.
YOUR READY-TO-USE SPANISH
Necesito un fontanero, por favor. Tengo una fuga debajo del fregadero. ¿Puede venir hoy, por favor? Es bastante urgente.
08
Plumbing survival vocabulary
Hover with a mouse or tap a card on your phone. Tap 🔊 for Spanish.
fontanero
plumber
fuga
leak
tubería
pipe
grifo
tap / faucet
desagüe
drain
fregadero
kitchen sink
lavabo
washbasin / bathroom sink
váter
toilet
cisterna
toilet cistern
ducha
shower
caldera
boiler
termo
water heater
llave de paso
shut-off valve / stopcock
pieza
part
junta
seal / washer / gasket
atasco
blockage
presión
pressure
avería
fault / breakdown
reparación
repair
presupuesto
quote / estimate
desplazamiento
call-out / travel charge
mano de obra
labour
factura
invoice
garantía
guarantee / warranty
seguro de hogar
home insurance
comunidad
owners’ community / building community
administrador
property administrator
gotea
it drips / is dripping
pierde agua
it leaks water
está roto
it is broken
está atascado
it is blocked
es urgente
it is urgent
09
12 phrases worth memorising
Tap any phrase to hear it.
☀️ Useful today? Keep the whole survival series close.
Tick the Blogger follow button so Episode 04 finds you before the next Spanish emergency.
This belongs to / is the responsibility of the building community.
Listen again
“Le mando la factura.”
I’ll send you the invoice.
Listen again
11
Mini grammar that actually helps
Six patterns. Dozens of real plumbing sentences.
💧
HAY + noun
Hay una fuga. There is a leak.
Use it to announce the problem.
🛠️
ESTÁ + adjective
Está roto. Está atascado. It is broken. It is blocked.
State the condition.
🚫
NO FUNCIONA
El váter no funciona. The toilet is not working.
Your universal rescue phrase.
🚰
PIERDE + noun
La tubería pierde agua. The pipe is leaking water.
Describe a leak.
🙋
NECESITO + noun
Necesito un fontanero. I need a plumber.
Ask for what you need.
📅
¿PUEDE + infinitive?
¿Puede venir hoy? Can you come today?
Ask politely for action.
🧠 Neurotip: do not memorise a conjugation table here. Memorise the shape of the sentence and swap one useful word: “Hay una fuga / Hay un atasco”; “Está roto / Está atascado”.
12
WhatsApp rescue message
When speaking on the phone feels too fast, send a clear message first.
COPY-READY MESSAGE
Hola. Soy Emma. Vivo en La Cala de Mijas. Tengo una fuga debajo del fregadero. Está saliendo bastante agua. ¿Puede venir hoy, por favor? Le envío una foto. Gracias.
Useful add-ons: “Mi dirección es…” · “Le mando mi ubicación.” · “¿A qué hora aproximadamente puede venir?” · “Es urgente, pero he cerrado la llave de paso.”
13
Plumbing Spanish Rescue
16 tiny situations · instant feedback · optional timer · pause/resume · saved progress · errors do not subtract XP.
Question 1/16
⭐ 0 XP in this game
⏱ 02:00
Pressure-free by design: the timer is optional. If it reaches zero, the game continues and you lose nothing. Pause whenever real life interrupts.
14
Leak severity: useful Spanish
Tell them what is actually happening.
💧
Small drip
Gotea un poco. It is dripping a little.
Gotea un poco.
💦
Steady leak
Pierde bastante agua. It is leaking quite a lot of water.
Pierde bastante agua.
🚨
Major leak
Está saliendo mucha agua. A lot of water is coming out.
Está saliendo mucha agua. Es urgente.
15
The money conversation
The repair is not finished until you understand the price.
📋
Presupuesto ≠ factura
Presupuesto is the quote or estimate before / around the work. Factura is the invoice for the work charged.
Primero, ¿me puede dar un presupuesto? Después necesito la factura.
🧰
Ask what is included
Listen for desplazamiento, mano de obra, piezas and the total.
¿Qué incluye el precio?
💳
Paying
Do not assume the payment method. Ask before the plumber leaves.
¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta o por transferencia?
🛡️
Insurance paperwork
If an insurer is involved, keep the invoice and ask whether the plumber can describe the repair clearly on it.
Necesito la factura para el seguro.
16
Your fridge card
Print it. Keep it somewhere dry.
🧠 NEURO-SPANISH FOR YOU! · PLUMBER SURVIVAL
LA CALA DE MIJAS · 60-SECOND CHECKLIST
☐ Find the llave de paso
☐ Bucket / towels in place
☐ Photos / video taken
☐ Exact address ready
☐ Ask about desplazamiento
☐ Ask for a presupuesto
☐ Keep the factura
☐ Check insurer / community if relevant
SAY THIS: “Necesito un fontanero. Hay una fuga. Está saliendo bastante agua. ¿Puede venir hoy, por favor?”
17
Three expat details worth knowing
Small questions. Big difference.
💶
Ask what the quote includes
A useful trio: desplazamiento (call-out), mano de obra (labour) and piezas (parts).
Ask it in Spanish
🏢
Private or communal?
If a leak may involve a shared building element, ask the administrator before authorising major work when practical.
¿Esto es de mi vivienda o de la comunidad?
🧾
Keep paperwork
Photos, a quote, invoice and repair details can be useful if an insurer, landlord or community administrator becomes involved.
¿Me puede enviar la factura por correo electrónico?
🌞 You do not need perfect Spanish. You need usable Spanish. Five reliable chunks will get you further than fifty isolated words when water is running across the kitchen floor.
Keep Neuro-Spanish for You! in your Costa del Sol survival kit.
Real Spanish for the plumber, doctor, pharmacy, town hall, chiringuito — and the rest of real life in Andalucía.
Educational language guide. For dangerous leaks, electrical hazards, gas-related problems or other immediate risks, use the appropriate qualified professional or emergency service.
Tap to open the full-size survival guide ↗
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