Role Play 5: Avería de Coche (Car Breakdown) (Leaving Cert Spanish): Revision Notes
Role play 5: Avería de coche (car breakdown)
Scenario overview
In this role play, you are calling an insurance company to report a car breakdown on a Spanish motorway. You play the role of a driver whose car has stopped working, and the examiner plays the insurance company employee who is trying to help you. This scenario tests your ability to explain problems, describe locations, provide vehicle details, and make requests for assistance.
The setting is that you were driving from Madrid to Lugo on the AP-6 motorway when your car broke down. You need to contact your insurance company to arrange help so you can continue your journey to collect your parents from Santiago de Compostela airport.
Scenario Context: You have a specific urgency - collecting your parents from the airport - which justifies your need for immediate assistance and a replacement vehicle. This adds authenticity to your requests for help.
Key vocabulary
Understanding these essential terms will help you communicate effectively during the breakdown scenario:
Car and breakdown terms:
- La avería (lah ah-veh-REE-ah) = breakdown
- El coche (el KO-cheh) = car
- Averiarse (ah-veh-ree-AH-seh) = to break down
- El mecánico (el meh-KAH-nee-ko) = mechanic
- El remolque (el reh-MOL-keh) = tow truck
- La matrícula (lah mah-TREE-koo-lah) = registration number
Location and journey terms:
- La autopista (lah ow-to-PEES-tah) = motorway
- El peaje (el peh-AH-heh) = toll booth
- La señal (lah seh-NYAHL) = sign
- La salida (lah sah-LEE-dah) = exit
- A lo lejos (ah lo LEH-hos) = in the distance
- El aeropuerto (el ah-eh-ro-PWEHR-to) = airport
Time and assistance terms:
- Hace media hora (AH-theh MEH-dee-ah OH-rah) = half an hour ago
- Inmediatamente (in-meh-dee-ah-tah-MEN-teh) = immediately
- La sustitución (lah soos-tee-too-THEE-ohn) = replacement
- Recoger (reh-ko-HEHR) = to collect/pick up
- El viaje (el vee-AH-heh) = journey
Memory Tip: Focus on the time expressions and location terms - these are crucial for explaining where you are and when the breakdown happened. Practice the pronunciation of "peaje" and "hace" as these have challenging sounds for English speakers.
Model sentences
These key phrases will form the backbone of your conversation with the insurance company:
Reporting the breakdown:
- Mi coche acaba de averiarse = My car has just broken down
- Estoy en la autopista AP-6 = I'm on the AP-6 motorway
- No sé dónde estoy realmente = I don't know exactly where I am
- Pasé por el peaje hace media hora = I passed through the toll booth half an hour ago
Describing location:
- Veo la señal para la salida 156 a lo lejos = I can see the sign for exit 156 in the distance
- Debe estar entre Medina del Campo y Tordesillas = You must be between Medina del Campo and Tordesillas
Requesting help:
- ¿Podría enviar un mecánico? = Could you send a mechanic?
- ¿Podría darme un coche de sustitución? = Could you give me a replacement car?
- Creo que se trata de un problema serio = I think it's a serious problem
- Voy a arreglarlo todo inmediatamente = I'm going to sort everything out immediately
Providing car details:
- Es un SEAT Ibiza rojo = It's a red SEAT Ibiza
- La matrícula es 4620 CFK = The registration is 4620 CFK
- Se lo compré a mi tía de segunda mano = I bought it second-hand from my aunt
- No he tenido nunca ningún problema con él = I've never had any problem with it before
Model answers
Practice these complete responses to build confidence for the actual role play:
Short response to initial greeting:
- Hola, buenas tardes. Mi coche se ha averiado en la autopista AP-6
- (Hello, good afternoon. My car has broken down on the AP-6 motorway)
Extended response with location details:
- Mi coche acaba de averiarse y estoy en la autopista AP-6. No sé dónde estoy realmente, pero pasé por el peaje hace media hora. Veo la señal para la salida 156 a lo lejos
- (My car has just broken down and I'm on the AP-6 motorway. I don't know exactly where I am really, but I passed through the toll booth half an hour ago. I can see the sign for exit 156 in the distance)
Requesting assistance:
- ¿Podría darme un coche de sustitución para que pueda continuar mi viaje a Lugo? Es que tengo que recoger a mis padres del aeropuerto de Santiago de Compostela
- (Could you give me a replacement car so I can continue my journey to Lugo? It's just that I have to collect my parents from Santiago de Compostela airport)
Pronunciation tips
Mastering these sounds will make your Spanish more authentic and easier to understand:
Challenging sounds:
- Avería: The stress is on the "e" - ah-veh-REE-ah
- Ibiza: In Spanish, this is pronounced "ee-BEE-thah" (not like the English pronunciation)
- Hace: The "c" makes a "th" sound in Spain - "AH-theh"
- Lejos: The "j" makes an "h" sound - "LEH-hos"
- Remolque: The "qu" makes a "k" sound - "reh-MOL-keh"
- Recoger: The "g" makes an "h" sound before "e" - "reh-ko-HEHR"
Stress patterns:
- Words ending in vowels typically stress the second-to-last syllable: automóvil, matrícula
- Words ending in consonants (except -n, -s) typically stress the last syllable: motor, Madrid
Grammar notes
These grammar structures are essential for this scenario:
Perfect tense with "acabar de": Use acabar de + infinitive to say something has just happened:
- Acabo de llegar = I have just arrived
- Mi coche acaba de averiarse = My car has just broken down
Time expressions with "hace":
- Hace + time period = time period ago
- Hace media hora = half an hour ago
- Hace cinco minutos = five minutes ago
Conditional for polite requests:
- ¿Podría...? = Could you...?
- ¿Podría ayudarme? = Could you help me?
- ¿Podría enviar un mecánico? = Could you send a mechanic?
Key Points to Remember:
- Start by clearly stating your problem: Mi coche se ha averiado
- Give specific location details using landmarks like toll booths and exit signs
- Use hace + time to explain when things happened
- Be polite when making requests using ¿Podría...?
- Provide car details clearly: make, model, colour, and registration
- Explain your urgency (collecting parents from airport) to justify needing a replacement car