A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "The air conditioning isn't working" in Spanish
Spanish phrase for when your air conditioning is broken, useful for lodging and transport.
El aire acondicionado no funciona.
el AH-ee-reh ah-kon-dee-see-oh-NAH-doh noh foon-see-OH-nahneutral
Spanish TTS · 0:01
Use this when you're in a hotel room, a rental car, or a bus and the AC is blowing warm air or not blowing at all. It's a direct way to report the problem.
Alternatives
- El aire acondicionado no anda.Slightly more casual, common in some regions.
- El aire acondicionado está descompuesto.Emphasizes that it's broken or out of order.
Ways to get it wrong
Confusing 'funciona' with 'function'
In Spanish, 'funciona' means 'works' or 'operates,' not 'functions' in a more abstract sense.
Forgetting 'no'
Omitting 'no' would mean the AC *is* working, the opposite of what you want to say.
A small cultural note
In many Spanish-speaking countries, 'aire acondicionado' is often shortened to 'el aire' in casual conversation if the context is clear.
Frequently asked
How to say AC is broken in Spanish?
You can say 'El aire acondicionado no funciona.' This clearly states the problem.
What's a casual way to say AC isn't working?
A more casual option is 'El aire acondicionado no anda.' This is common in everyday speech.
How to ask for AC repair in Spanish?
After saying it's not working, you can ask '¿Lo pueden arreglar?' which means 'Can you fix it?'
