Telling my landlord the hot water is broken: Explaining the problem

💬 A friendly all-day greeting. Easy win: the h is silent, so it sounds like “OH-la.”

🇲🇽 In Mexico, “Hola” works almost anytime, but with a landlord, adding “buenos días” sounds a bit more polite.

💬 Literally “good days,” but it means “good morning.” Use it until around noon.

🇲🇽 A polite default in Mexico for speaking to service people, neighbors, or a landlord in the morning.

💬 This combo sounds warm and polite. Great opener before explaining a problem.

🇲🇽 In Mexico, softening a complaint with a greeting first is common and helps the conversation start smoothly.

💬 The accent matters: “cómo” means “how.” On its own, it can also mean “Sorry?/What was that?”

🇲🇽 If you didn’t hear someone, many Mexicans also say “¿Cómo?” politely, though “¿Perdón?” can sound softer.

💬 From the verb estar, used for states and feelings. Think temporary: how you are today, not forever.

🇲🇽 With a landlord, you’ll usually use formal “usted,” so you may hear “está” instead of “estás.”

💬 Casual version with tú. For a more polite tone, use “¿Cómo está?”

🇲🇽 In Mexico, a quick “¿Cómo está?” before the issue can make your request sound more respectful.

💬 Short, useful, and super common. You can also say “Muy bien” for “very well.”

🇲🇽 A simple “Bien” is perfectly normal in Mexico—no need for a long answer unless you want one.

💬 Classic essential word. Pronunciation tip in Mexico: it sounds roughly like “GRAH-syahs.”

🇲🇽 A little gratitude goes a long way, especially when asking for repairs or favors.

💬 A complete, natural response to “¿Cómo está(s)?” Short and smooth.

🇲🇽 Even in problem conversations, starting with a polite mini-exchange is very common in Mexico.