Spanish · A2 · Family moment
Fixing Things Together in Spanish
This guide focuses on narrating past events during small repairs, using modal verbs to describe what you and your child were able to do or were required to do.
What you'll learn
- Express past ability and accomplishments using 'poder'
- Describe past obligations and necessities using 'tener que'
- Learn vocabulary related to tools and fixing things
Spanish phrases for fixing things together
Ayer no pude abrir tu caja de herramientas.
Yesterday I could not open your toolbox.
'Pude' is the past form of 'poder' (to be able/could).
Tuviste que buscar un destornillador más pequeño.
You had to find a smaller screwdriver.
'Tuviste que' comes from 'tener que' (to have to).
No pude arreglar tu bici solo.
I could not repair your bike alone.
'Solo' refers to a male speaker; use 'sola' for a female speaker.
Tuvimos que pedirle ayuda a tu tío.
We had to ask your uncle for help.
'Pedirle ayuda' literally means 'to ask him for help'.
Pudiste arreglar tu maqueta sin ayuda.
You could repair your model without help.
'Pudiste' indicates a completed achievement in the past.
Tuvimos que comprar una pieza nueva.
We had to buy a new part.
'Pieza' is a common word for a mechanical or toy part.
Después del arreglo, pudiste montar en bici otra vez.
After the repair, you could ride your bike again.
'Montar en bici' is the standard way to say ride a bike.
Tuviste que guardar las herramientas después.
You had to put the tools away afterwards.
'Guardar' is used here to mean 'to put away' or 'store'.
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
caja de herramientas
toolbox
Literally 'box of tools'.
destornillador
screwdriver
Derived from 'tornillo' (screw).
arreglar
to fix / to repair
A very common verb for fixing almost anything.
ayuda
help
Used as a noun in 'pedir ayuda'.
Past Tense of Modal Verbs
In Spanish, to express 'could' or 'had to' for specific past events, we use the Pretérito Indefinido. These modal verbs are followed immediately by an infinitive (the basic verb form ending in -ar, -er, or -ir).
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Poder (Could/Managed to) | Pude / Pudiste / Pudo / Pudimos | Pudiste arreglarlo. (You could/managed to fix it.) |
| Tener que (Had to) | Tuve que / Tuviste que / Tuvo que / Tuvimos que | Tuviste que buscarlo. (You had to look for it.) |
More examples
¿Pudiste encontrar el martillo?
Could you find the hammer?
Uses the 'tú' form of poder.
Tuve que usar pegamento.
I had to use glue.
Uses the 'yo' form of tener que.