B1 · Unit 10 · 41 words, 3 texts with translation
Return a purchase and make a complaint
Return an item, ask for your money back and write a polite complaint to a store or an online shop.
Texts in this unit
Grammar in this unit
Two pronouns together: se lo, me lo, te la
You already know lo, la, los, las — him, her, it, them (A2, unit 5), and me, te, le, nos, os, les — (to) me, (to) you, (to) him… (A2, unit 11). Now we put them side by side.
At a store you can't do without this: "The receipt? I'll show it to you", "They won't exchange it for me." One sentence says both "to whom" and "what".
Rule 1. First "to whom", then "what". English says "give it to me": "what" comes first. Spanish does it the other way around, and the order never changes: me lo — word for word "to me it".
| To whom | + lo | + la | + los | + las |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (to) me | me lo | me la | me los | me las |
| (to) you | te lo | te la | te los | te las |
| (to) him, her, you (formal), them | se lo | se la | se los | se las |
| (to) us | nos lo | nos la | nos los | nos las |
With os (to you, plural) it works the same way: os lo.
Rule 2. Le and les turn into se before lo, la, los, las. Not ✗ le lo doy, but se lo doy (I give it to him, to her, to you). This se doesn't mean "himself": it's just le in disguise. Who gets the thing is usually clear from the conversation; if it isn't, add it at the end: se lo doy a usted, se lo doy a Dani.
Rule 3. The pair stays together. Both pronouns go before the verb (and no goes before both of them), or both are attached to the end of the infinitive. Then the verb needs a written accent: dar → dárselo.
- ¿El tique? Se lo enseño ahora mismo. — The receipt? I'll show it to you right now (formal).
- Pedí una mochila, pero no me la han enviado. — I ordered a backpack, but they haven't sent it to me. (La, because it's la mochila.)
- ¿Las llaves? Te las dejo en la mesa. — The keys? I'll leave them on the table for you.
- ¿Me lo puede cambiar? = ¿Puede cambiármelo? — Can you exchange it for me? (formal)
- Tengo el dinero de Dani. Mañana voy a dárselo. — I have Dani's money. I'm going to give it to him tomorrow.
Common mistakes. The English order "it to me": not ✗ lo me da, but me lo da (he gives it to me). Splitting the pair: not ✗ me puede cambiarlo, but me lo puede cambiar or puede cambiármelo. Forgetting se: not ✗ le la envío, but se la envío (I send it to him, to her, to you).
Sin embargo: "however" in letters and polite arguments
In a complaint, the key move is to set two facts against each other: "they promised two days, and it took two weeks." In conversation pero (but) is enough for that. In a letter or a serious talk with a store, people use a heavier word: sin embargo (however, nevertheless).
It means the same as pero. The difference is in tone and in where it goes in the sentence:
| pero | sin embargo | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you hear it | everywhere, especially in conversation | letters, complaints, polite arguments |
| Where it goes | in the middle of a sentence | usually at the start of a new sentence: after a period or a semicolon |
| Comma | before it | after it |
- Pagué el lunes. Sin embargo, el paquete no ha llegado. — I paid on Monday. However, the package hasn't arrived.
- En la web prometen la entrega en 48 horas; sin embargo, he esperado doce días. — The website promises delivery in 48 hours; however, I've waited twelve days.
- El móvil es nuevo. Sin embargo, falla todos los días. — The phone is new. However, it acts up every day.
To a friend you'd say the same thing more simply: El móvil es nuevo, pero falla. (The phone is new, but it acts up.)
Sin embargo is always two words and never changes. Like English "however", it belongs to writing more than to chatting.
Don't confuse it with aunque (unit 5). Aunque means "although": it goes before the fact that didn't stop the other thing from happening: Aunque es nuevo, falla. (Although it's new, it acts up.) Sin embargo goes before the objection itself: Es nuevo. Sin embargo, falla. (It's new. However, it acts up.)
Common mistake: using both words at once: ✗ pero sin embargo. That's too much; one is enough. And don't say sin embargo to a friend over coffee: you'll sound like you're reading out a contract.
Words in this unit
la devolución — return
Quiero hacer una devolución. — I want to make a return.
reclamar — to demand, to complain, to claim
Reclamo mi dinero porque el producto no funciona. — I'm demanding my money back because the product doesn't work.
la reclamación — complaint, claim
Quiero hacer una reclamación. — I want to make a complaint.
el defecto — defect, flaw
Esta camiseta tiene un pequeño defecto. — This T-shirt has a small defect.
defectuoso — defective, faulty
Me han enviado un producto defectuoso. — They've sent me a defective product.
el reembolso — refund
Quiero el reembolso de mi dinero. — I want a refund of my money.
el producto — product, item
Este producto tiene un defecto. — This product has a defect.
la caja — box, checkout
El producto viene en una caja grande. — The product comes in a big box.
el comprobante — proof of purchase, receipt
Guarda el comprobante de compra. — Keep the proof of purchase.
la entrega — delivery
La entrega tarda cinco días. — Delivery takes five days.
cobrar — to charge, to get paid
Me han cobrado dos veces. — They've charged me twice.
fallar — to fail, to not work right, to let down
El móvil falla mucho. — The phone acts up a lot.
el fallo — glitch, error, fault
Hay un fallo en la aplicación. — There's a glitch in the app.
la equivocación — mistake, mix-up
Ha sido una equivocación. — It was a mistake.
atención al cliente — customer service
Llamo a atención al cliente. — I'm calling customer service.
hoja de reclamaciones — official complaint form
Pido la hoja de reclamaciones. — I ask for the complaint form.
el encargado — manager, person in charge
Quiero hablar con el encargado. — I want to speak to the manager.
el/la responsable — person in charge, head
¿Quién es el responsable de esto? — Who's responsible for this?
el artículo — item, article
Este artículo cuesta veinte euros. — This item costs twenty euros.
el embalaje — packaging
El embalaje está roto. — The packaging is torn.
la etiqueta — label, tag
La etiqueta tiene el precio. — The label has the price.
tener derecho — to have the right
Tienes derecho a devolver el producto. — You have the right to return the product.
exigir — to demand
Exijo una respuesta hoy mismo. — I demand an answer no later than today.
solicitar — to request, to apply for
Solicito un reembolso por escrito. — I'm requesting a refund in writing.
sin embargo — however, nevertheless
Es barato; sin embargo, la calidad es mala. — It's cheap; however, the quality is bad.
por lo tanto — therefore, so
Mi pedido llegó roto; por lo tanto, quiero un reembolso. — My order arrived broken; therefore, I want a refund.
satisfecho — satisfied
Estoy muy satisfecho con la compra. — I'm very satisfied with my purchase (man speaking).
decepcionado — disappointed
Estoy decepcionado con el producto. — I'm disappointed with the product (man speaking).
la decepción — disappointment
¡Qué decepción! — What a disappointment!
indignado — outraged, indignant
Estoy indignada con esta tienda. — I'm outraged at this store (woman speaking).
correcto — correct, right
La dirección es correcta. — The address is correct.
servir — to be good for, to work, to serve
Esta talla no me sirve. — This size doesn't work for me.
directamente — directly, straight
Pido el reembolso directamente en la web. — I request the refund directly on the website.
inmediatamente — immediately, right away
Quiero una respuesta inmediatamente. — I want an answer immediately.
página web — website, web page
La página web no funciona hoy. — The website isn't working today.
la muestra — sample
Pido una muestra gratis de la crema. — I ask for a free sample of the cream.
el consumidor — consumer
Los consumidores pueden reclamar en esta oficina. — Consumers can file complaints at this office.
adjuntar — to attach (to an email or a letter)
Adjunto una foto del defecto. — I'm attaching a photo of the defect.
estimado — dear (in a formal letter)
Estimado señor López: le escribo por mi pedido. — Dear Mr. López: I'm writing to you about my order (formal).
atentamente — sincerely (at the end of a letter), carefully
Atentamente, Pablo Ruiz. — Sincerely, Pablo Ruiz.
quedo a la espera — I look forward to, I await (a reply)
Quedo a la espera de su respuesta. — I look forward to your reply.
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