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Illustration for “The boiler won't start”

Spanish dialogue with translation · B2 · 18 lines

La caldera no arranca The boiler won't start

Comic · 18 panels

Panel 1 of 18 for “The boiler won't start”: “Good morning, Mr. Navarro. This is Ana, the tenant of the apartment in Benimaclet.”
  1. Ana

    Buenos días, señor Navarro. Soy Ana, la inquilina del piso de Benimaclet.

    Good morning, Mr. Navarro. This is Ana, the tenant of the apartment in Benimaclet.

Panel 2 of 18 for “The boiler won't start”: “Oh, Ana! Good morning. Are you already getting ready for the move? (formal)”
  1. Señor Navarro

    ¡Hombre, Ana! Buenos días. ¿Ya está preparando la mudanza?

    Oh, Ana! Good morning. Are you already getting ready for the move? (formal)

Panel 3 of 18 for “The boiler won't start”: “I'm at the apartment, taking measurements for the furniture. I'm calling you because the boiler won't start. (formal)”
  1. Ana

    Estoy en el piso, tomando medidas para los muebles. Le llamo porque la caldera no arranca.

    I'm at the apartment, taking measurements for the furniture. I'm calling you because the boiler won't start. (formal)

Panel 4 of 18 for “The boiler won't start”: “What do you mean, it won't start? That appliance has always worked fine.”
  1. Señor Navarro

    ¿Cómo que no arranca? Ese aparato siempre ha funcionado bien.

    What do you mean, it won't start? That appliance has always worked fine.

Panel 5 of 18 for “The boiler won't start”: “I press the button, the pilot light comes on and goes out right away. I've tried so many times that my finger hurts.”
  1. Ana

    Pulso el botón, el piloto se enciende y enseguida se apaga. Lo he intentado tantas veces que me duele el dedo.

    I press the button, the pilot light comes on and goes out right away. I've tried so many times that my finger hurts.

Panel 6 of 18 for “The boiler won't start”: “It's probably the switch, or a fuse. Or maybe the fuel isn't reaching it: it runs on gas, you know? (formal)”
  1. Señor Navarro

    Será el interruptor, o un fusible. O a lo mejor no le llega el combustible: es de gas, ¿sabe?

    It's probably the switch, or a fuse. Or maybe the fuel isn't reaching it: it runs on gas, you know? (formal)

Panel 7 of 18 for “The boiler won't start”: “The gas is getting through, since the stove works. And there's electricity in the whole apartment, so that's not it either.”
  1. Ana

    El gas llega, ya que la cocina funciona. Y hay electricidad en todo el piso, de modo que tampoco es eso.

    The gas is getting through, since the stove works. And there's electricity in the whole apartment, so that's not it either.

Panel 8 of 18 for “The boiler won't start”: “Oh dear… Well, don't worry. Next week, or the week after, I'll call a technician. (formal)”
  1. Señor Navarro

    Vaya… Bueno, no se preocupe. La semana que viene, o la otra, llamo a un técnico.

    Oh dear… Well, don't worry. Next week, or the week after, I'll call a technician. (formal)

Panel 9 of 18 for “The boiler won't start”: “Excuse me, but I'm moving in at the end of January and there's no hot water or heating. Therefore, the repair can't be put off. (formal)”
  1. Ana

    Perdone, pero me mudo a finales de enero y no hay ni agua caliente ni calefacción. Por lo tanto, la reparación no se puede retrasar.

    Excuse me, but I'm moving in at the end of January and there's no hot water or heating. Therefore, the repair can't be put off. (formal)

Panel 10 of 18 for “The boiler won't start”: “It's not that cold in Valencia anyway. In the meantime, you can use the electric heater that's in the closet. (formal)”
  1. Señor Navarro

    En Valencia tampoco hace tanto frío. Mientras tanto puede utilizar la estufa eléctrica que hay en el armario.

    It's not that cold in Valencia anyway. In the meantime, you can use the electric heater that's in the closet. (formal)

Panel 11 of 18 for “The boiler won't start”: “Today it's so cold in here that I'm shivering with my coat on. And with all the electricity that heater uses, I'd rather not think about the bill.”
  1. Ana

    Hoy hace tanto frío aquí dentro que estoy tiritando con el abrigo puesto. Y con la electricidad que gasta esa estufa, prefiero no pensar en la factura.

    Today it's so cold in here that I'm shivering with my coat on. And with all the electricity that heater uses, I'd rather not think about the bill.

Panel 12 of 18 for “The boiler won't start”: “That much? Well, then it'll be better for a technician to look at the boiler as soon as possible.”
  1. Señor Navarro

    ¿Tanto? Bueno, entonces será mejor que un técnico vea la caldera cuanto antes.

    That much? Well, then it'll be better for a technician to look at the boiler as soon as possible.

Panel 13 of 18 for “The boiler won't start”: “I appreciate it. By the way, when did the boiler last pass an inspection? (formal)”
  1. Ana

    Se lo agradezco. Por cierto, ¿cuándo pasó la caldera la última revisión?

    I appreciate it. By the way, when did the boiler last pass an inspection? (formal)

Panel 14 of 18 for “The boiler won't start”: “Well… years ago. Since it was working, I never worried about maintenance.”
  1. Señor Navarro

    Pues… hace años. Como funcionaba, nunca me preocupé por el mantenimiento.

    Well… years ago. Since it was working, I never worried about maintenance.

Panel 15 of 18 for “The boiler won't start”: “Then I'm asking you for a full inspection. If it needs a spare part, it's better to know now and not in February. (formal)”
  1. Ana

    Entonces le pido una revisión completa. Si hace falta algún recambio, es mejor saberlo ahora y no en febrero.

    Then I'm asking you for a full inspection. If it needs a spare part, it's better to know now and not in February. (formal)

Panel 16 of 18 for “The boiler won't start”: “All right, you're right. I'll call the technician today and tell him it's urgent. (formal)”
  1. Señor Navarro

    De acuerdo, tiene razón. Hoy mismo llamo al técnico y le digo que es urgente.

    All right, you're right. I'll call the technician today and tell him it's urgent. (formal)

Panel 17 of 18 for “The boiler won't start”: “Thank you very much. This afternoon I'll write you an email with everything; that way we'll have it in writing. (formal)”
  1. Ana

    Muchas gracias. Esta tarde le escribo un correo con todo; así lo tenemos por escrito.

    Thank you very much. This afternoon I'll write you an email with everything; that way we'll have it in writing. (formal)

Panel 18 of 18 for “The boiler won't start”: “As you wish. You're so organized that it scares me a little. (to a woman, formal)”
  1. Señor Navarro

    Como quiera. Es usted tan organizada que me da un poco de miedo.

    As you wish. You're so organized that it scares me a little. (to a woman, formal)

Grammar for this text

Ana uses usted with her landlord: polite but firm.

  • Cause and result. El gas llega, ya que la cocina funciona — "the gas is getting through, since the stove works". …de modo que tampoco es eso — "…so that's not it either". Por lo tanto, la reparación no se puede retrasar — "therefore, the repair can't be put off". After these connectors the verb is in the normal form (indicative). The landlord speaks more simply: Como funcionaba… — "since it was working…".
  • "So… that." tantas veces que me duele el dedo, tanto frío aquí dentro que estoy tiritando (a noun, so tanto), tan organizada que me da un poco de miedo (an adjective, so tan). But tampoco hace tanto frío, without que, just means "it's not that cold".
  • Será el interruptor — the future tense as a guess: "it's probably the switch" (unit 2).
  • Será mejor que un técnico vea… — after es mejor que comes the subjunctive (unit 7).
  • ¿Cómo que no arranca? — "What do you mean, it won't start?": a way to show surprise in conversation.

Words and grammar of the unit: Demand repairs from your landlord.

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