Okay, so something is broken and you have to get it fixed and you can't find whoever is supposed to do it so you decide to do it yourself. You're going to go into town to the plumbing supply (plomeria) or the hardware store (ferreteria) or the building supply place (surtidor) or maybe even the electrical supply place (electrica). But what do you ask for? How do you say it in Spanish? ('cause nobody at those places speaks English). Here's a simple guide that may help.

MEASUREMENTS, SIZES & SHAPES:

English	Spanish	Pronounciation
inch	pulgada	pull-GAH-dah
foot	pie	pee-YEH
yard	yarda	YAR-dah
mile	milla	MEE-ya
short	corto	CORE-toh
long	largo	LAR-goh
big	grande	GRAN-day
small (size)	chico	CHEE-ko
small (amount)	pequeno	peh-CANE-yoh
narrow	estrecho	eh-STRETCH-o
wide	ancho	AHN-choh
thick	espeso	eh-SPAY-soh
thin	delgado	dell-GAH-doh
tall	alto	AHL-toh
square	cuadrado	kwah-DRAH-doh
round	redondo	ray-DOHN-doh
full	lleno	YAY-noh
empty	vacio	vah-SEE-yoh
size (measurement)	medida	meh-DEE-dah
size (objects)	tamano	tah-MAHN-yoh
size (clothes)	talla	TAH-yah

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT:

cable	cable	CAH-blay
drill bit	broca	BRO-cah
factory	taller	tah-YAIR
faucet	espita	eh-SPEE-tah
flapper (toilet)	sapito	sah-PEE-toh
glue	pegamento	peh-gah-MEEN-toh
hammer	martillo	mar-TEE-yoh
hanger (all kinds)	gancho	GAHN-choh
ladder	escalera	eh-skah-LAIR-ah
monkey wrench	llave inglesa	YA-vay Eeen-GLAY-sah
monkey wrench	estilson	eh-STEEL-sohn
nail	clavo	CLAH-voh
nut	tuerco	TWAIR-coh
pliers	tenaza	ten-AH-sah
pump	bomba	BOMB-bah
saw	sierra	see-YAIR-ah
screw or bolt	tornillo	tore-KNEE-yoh
screwdriver	desatornillador	dehs-ah-tore-knee-yah-DOOR
tape	cinta	SEEN-tah
thread	hilo	HEEL-oh
tool	herramiento	air-ah-MYEN-toh
tool	instrumento	inn-strew-MEN-toh
wire	alambre	ahl-AHM-bray

Generally adding an 's' to the end of a word will pluralize it unless the word ends in a consonant in which case you add 'as' or 'es' depending on whether the word is classed as feminine or masculine gender. So loosen up your tongues, learn to roll your 'r's. - Speak Spanish and you'll get more things done.

See the rest of the Los Cabos Shopping Guide: