Spanish · B2 · Family moment
A Second Life for Your Gear in Spanish
Helping your child evaluate second-hand gear is a great way to teach value, maintenance, and critical thinking. This guide focuses on expressing what is possible or doable using Spanish passive-like structures and practical vocabulary for assessing condition.
What you'll learn
- Use 'se puede' + infinitive to describe possibilities and passive actions.
- Learn vocabulary related to repairs, tools, and technical conditions.
- Express concerns and assessments during a buying process.
Spanish phrases for a second life for your gear
El asiento de esta bicicleta se puede ajustar sin herramientas especiales.
This bike seat can be adjusted without any special tools.
'Se puede' functions as a passive alternative here.
¿Se puede reparar la rueda floja o necesitaríamos un repuesto?
Can the loose wheel be repaired, or would we need a replacement?
'Floja' means loose; 'repuesto' is a replacement part.
El teclado se puede conectar a tu tableta, así podrías grabar tu propia música.
The keyboard can be connected to your tablet, so you could record your own music.
'Podrías' is the conditional 'could'.
Esas marcas probablemente se pueden quitar, pero la grieta me preocupa.
Those marks can probably be removed, but the crack worries me.
'Quitar' is used for removing stains or marks.
La cámara se puede probar antes de que aceptemos comprarla.
The camera can be tested before we agree to buy it.
'Probar' means to test or try out.
Esta tableta de dibujo se puede usar sin una suscripción de pago.
This drawing tablet can be used without a paid subscription.
'De pago' implies a paid service/item.
El estado de la raqueta no se puede juzgar por una sola foto borrosa.
The racket's condition can't be judged from one blurry photo.
'Borrosa' is the specific term for blurry/out of focus.
Revisemos si el monopatín aún se puede dirigir con seguridad.
Let's check whether the skateboard can still be steered safely.
'Dirigir' is used here for steering/controlling direction.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
asiento
seat
Refers specifically to the saddle or seat of a vehicle/bike.
repuesto
spare part / replacement
Essential for discussions about repairs.
grieta
crack
A common structural concern in used gear.
borrosa
blurry
Used for low-quality images.
The Passive Reflexive (Se puede + Infinitive)
In Spanish, to express that something 'can be done' (similar to the German 'sich lassen'), we frequently use the 'se reflexivo'. This avoids the need for a formal passive voice (ser + participle) and sounds much more natural in daily conversation.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Possibility | Se puede + [Infinitive] | Se puede arreglar. (It can be fixed.) |
| Impossibility | No se puede + [Infinitive] | No se puede abrir. (It cannot be opened.) |
| Plural Object | Se pueden + [Infinitive] | Se pueden cambiar las cuerdas. (The strings can be changed.) |
More examples
La pantalla se puede limpiar fácilmente con un paño.
The screen can be cleaned easily with a cloth.
A practical observation about maintenance.
¿Se pueden inflar más las ruedas?
Can the tires be inflated more?
Notice 'pueden' matches the plural 'ruedas'.