¿lo puedes arreglar?
The English phrase "can you fix it?" is translated into Spanish as ¿lo puedes arreglar?
A question asking if someone is able to repair something that is broken or not working.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of lo (it), puedes (you can/are able to) and arreglar (to fix/arrange).
Which one should you use?
You can use ¿Puedes arreglarlo? to mean "Can you fix it?" and is commonly used in informal situations. For a more personal request, ¿Me lo puedes arreglar? means "Can you fix it for me?"
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the word reparar may be used instead of arreglar to mean fix.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form ¿lo puedes arreglar? uses the informal 'tú' conjugation of the verb poder. If the object being fixed is a feminine noun (like la radio), change the pronoun lo to la to get ¿la puedes arreglar?
Did you know?
- In some contexts, arreglar can be used as a euphemism for bribing someone to 'fix' a situation in your favor.
- The verb arreglar also means 'to get ready' or 'to dress up' when used reflexively as arreglarse.
- The verb arreglar contains the word for 'rule' or 'straight line', which is regla. This implies that to fix something is to make it 'straight' or 'orderly' again.
Examples in context
- Perdón, ¿podría arreglar esta silla rota?Excuse me, could you fix this broken chair?
- ¿Sería tan amable de arreglar la llave que gotea, por favor?Would you be so kind as to fix the leaking faucet, please?
- Oye, ¿puedes arreglar mi bicicleta? No funciona bien.Hey, can you fix my bike? It's not working properly.
- Mi teléfono no funciona, ¿lo puedes arreglar?My phone doesn't work, can you fix it?
- Se rompió el reloj, ¿lo puedes arreglar?The watch broke, can you fix it?
- Es un juguete viejo, ¿lo puedes arreglar?It is an old toy, can you fix it?
Example conversation
Alejandro shows Sofía a broken lamp.
- AlejandroSofía, mira mi lámpara. No enciende.Sofía, look at my lamp. It won't turn on.
- SofíaParece que el cable está roto.It looks like the cable is broken.
- Alejandro¿Lo puedes arreglar?Can you fix it?
- SofíaSí, dame unos minutos.Yes, give me a few minutes.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries arreglar, lo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
