B2 · Unit 8 · 44 words, 3 texts with translation
Demand repairs from your landlord
Call your landlord and write a polite but firm letter: what's broken in the apartment, why it matters and what you want done.
Texts in this unit
Grammar in this unit
Cause and result in a letter: ya que, puesto que, debido a, por lo tanto, de modo que
You already know the conversational connectors: porque and como give a reason (A2, unit 17), así que gives a result (B1, unit 5). In a letter to a landlord or an office you need their formal "relatives": the meaning is the same, but they sound serious.
| Connector | What comes after it | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ya que — since, as | the normal verb form | Le escribo, ya que la caldera no funciona. — I'm writing to you since the boiler isn't working. |
| puesto que — since, given that | the normal verb form | Puesto que me mudo en enero, es urgente. — Since I'm moving in January, it's urgent. |
| debido a — due to, because of | a noun | Debido a la avería, no hay agua caliente. — Due to the breakdown, there's no hot water. |
por lo tanto — therefore | a comma, then the normal verb form | No hay calefacción. Por lo tanto, no puedo mudarme. — There's no heating. Therefore, I can't move in. |
de modo que — so | the normal verb form | El técnico no viene, de modo que sigo sin agua caliente. — The technician isn't coming, so I still don't have hot water. |
The first three give a reason; the last two give a result. They work like English "since", "due to", "therefore" and "so", and puesto que and debido a sound about as formal as "given that" and "due to".
Which verb form. Always the normal form (indicative), not the subjunctive: a reason and a result are facts. Compare this with purpose (para que, B1, unit 19):
- Le escribo ya que la caldera no funciona. — I'm writing to you since the boiler isn't working (a fact).
- Le escribo para que la caldera funcione. — I'm writing to you so that the boiler works again (a purpose).
Details. debido a is a preposition, just like English "due to": debido al frío. If you need a verb after it, add que: debido a que la caldera es vieja. ya que also works in polite conversation; puesto que and debido a are almost only for letters — you don't write them to a friend.
Common mistake — a verb right after debido a: not ✗ debido a la caldera no funciona, but debido a que la caldera no funciona.
Tan… que and tanto… que: "so… that"
You already know the comparison tan… como — "as… as" (A2, unit 4). Replace como with que, and you get a result instead of a comparison: "it's so cold that I can't sleep". It's the liveliest way to complain, in conversation and in a letter.
Whether you use tan or tanto depends on the word you make stronger:
| What you make stronger | How to build it | Example |
|---|---|---|
| an adjective or adverb | tan + word + que | El piso está tan frío que duermo con abrigo. — The apartment is so cold that I sleep in my coat. |
| a noun | tanto, tanta, tantos, tantas + word + que | Hace tanto frío que no puedo dormir. — It's so cold that I can't sleep. |
| a verb | verb + tanto que | El grifo gotea tanto que no me deja dormir. — The faucet drips so much that it keeps me awake. |
Before a noun, tanto agrees with it in gender and number: Hay tanta humedad que sale moho. — There's so much dampness that mold is growing. Tengo tantas cajas que no caben en el coche. — I have so many boxes that they don't fit in the car. After a verb, tanto never changes.
After que comes the normal form (indicative) of the verb: it's a result, so it's a fact.
Watch out. English says "so cold" in both of these, but in Spanish you have to check what kind of word frío is:
- hace tanto frío — after hace, frío is a noun ("cold", literally "it makes so much cold"), so tanto;
- el piso está tan frío — after está, frío is an adjective ("cold"), so tan.
Common mistakes. muy instead of tan: not ✗ es muy caro que no puedo pagarlo, but es tan caro que no puedo pagarlo. And como instead of que: tan frío como la calle — a comparison ("as cold as the street"), tan frío que tirito — a result ("so cold that I'm shivering").
Words in this unit
la caldera — boiler
La caldera no funciona y no hay agua caliente. — The boiler isn't working and there's no hot water.
el calentador — water heater (tankless)
Tenemos un calentador de gas en la cocina. — We have a gas water heater in the kitchen.
la reparación — repair
La reparación cuesta ochenta euros. — The repair costs eighty euros.
la revisión — inspection, checkup
Mañana viene un técnico para la revisión del gas. — Tomorrow a technician is coming for the gas inspection.
la instalación — installation, wiring, system
La instalación eléctrica del piso es muy vieja. — The apartment's wiring is very old.
el aparato — device, appliance
Este aparato hace mucho ruido. — This appliance makes a lot of noise.
la electricidad — electricity
No hay electricidad en toda la calle. — There's no electricity on the whole street.
el radiador — radiator
El radiador del salón está frío. — The living room radiator is cold.
la estufa — space heater, heater
Por la noche encendemos una estufa pequeña. — At night we turn on a small space heater.
utilizar — to use
¿Puedo utilizar tu cargador? — Can I use your charger?
ya que — since, as
Llamo al casero, ya que la caldera no funciona. — I'm calling the landlord, since the boiler isn't working.
puesto que — since, given that
Le escribo, puesto que la caldera no funciona. — I'm writing to you, since the boiler isn't working. (formal)
debido a — due to, because of
Debido a un problema con la caldera, no hay calefacción. — Due to a problem with the boiler, there's no heating.
de modo que — so, therefore
La caldera no funciona, de modo que no hay agua caliente. — The boiler isn't working, so there's no hot water.
la consecuencia — consequence, result
La humedad tiene malas consecuencias para la salud. — Dampness has bad consequences for your health.
insoportable — unbearable
El frío es insoportable en esta casa. — The cold is unbearable in this house.
congelarse — to freeze, to be freezing
Me congelo en mi habitación. — I'm freezing in my room.
tiritar — to shiver
Tirito de frío en la cama. — I'm shivering with cold in bed.
el mantenimiento — maintenance
El mantenimiento de la caldera es caro. — Boiler maintenance is expensive.
ajustar — to adjust, to set
Voy a ajustar la temperatura. — I'm going to adjust the temperature.
detectar — to detect, to notice
El técnico detecta un problema en la caldera. — The technician detects a problem with the boiler.
arrancar — to start (a machine), to pull out
La caldera no arranca por la mañana. — The boiler won't start in the morning.
retrasar — to delay, to put off
No retrases la llamada, es urgente. — Don't put off the call, it's urgent.
garantizar — to guarantee, to ensure
La tienda garantiza el aparato durante dos años. — The store guarantees the appliance for two years.
la medida — measure, step; measurement
Tenemos que tomar medidas. — We have to take measures.
el contador — meter
El contador de la luz está en el portal. — The electricity meter is in the building entrance.
el consumo — consumption, usage
El consumo de gas es muy alto este mes. — Gas consumption is very high this month.
el interruptor — switch, light switch
El interruptor de la luz no funciona. — The light switch doesn't work.
ponerse en contacto — to get in touch, to contact
Me pongo en contacto con usted por la caldera. — I'm getting in touch with you about the boiler. (formal)
de lo contrario — otherwise
Hay que llamar hoy; de lo contrario, el técnico no viene. — We have to call today; otherwise, the technician won't come.
a la mayor brevedad — as soon as possible, at the earliest opportunity
Le pido una respuesta a la mayor brevedad. — I'm asking you for a reply as soon as possible. (formal)
ello — it, this (the whole situation)
No hay agua caliente y por ello no puedo ducharme. — There's no hot water, and because of this I can't take a shower.
el moho — mold
Hay moho en la pared del baño. — There's mold on the bathroom wall.
la grieta — crack
Hay una grieta en la pared. — There's a crack in the wall.
el desagüe — drain
El desagüe de la ducha huele mal. — The shower drain smells bad.
la cisterna — toilet tank
La cisterna del váter pierde agua. — The toilet tank is leaking.
el tubo — pipe, tube
Hay un tubo roto bajo el fregadero. — There's a broken pipe under the sink.
el fusible — fuse
El fusible se ha fundido y no hay luz. — The fuse has blown and there's no power.
el recambio — spare part, replacement part
Necesito un recambio para el grifo. — I need a spare part for the faucet.
el aislamiento — insulation
Falta aislamiento en las ventanas. — There isn't enough insulation in the windows.
el termo — hot water tank, electric water heater; thermos
El termo eléctrico no calienta el agua. — The electric water heater doesn't heat the water.
el piloto — pilot light, indicator light
El piloto de la caldera está apagado. — The boiler's pilot light is out.
el combustible — fuel
El gas es un combustible barato. — Gas is a cheap fuel.
eléctrico — electric, electrical
El termo eléctrico tarda una hora en calentar el agua. — The electric water heater takes an hour to heat the water.
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