Setting up electricity, water and internet in Spanish, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina
You have the keys to a flat. The electricity is not in your name, there is no internet yet, and a bill for the last tenant is on the floor. You fix it in a conversation on the phone or at a counter, in fast Spanish, with an account number you do not have yet. Below: the utility words in each country, contracting a service, giving a meter reading, the installer visit, paying, power cuts, disputing a bill and cancelling, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
The basic words
| Mexico | Spain | Colombia | Argentina | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity | la luz, la energía eléctrica | la luz, la electricidad | la luz, la energía | la luz |
| Water | el agua | el agua | el agua, el acueducto | el agua |
| Gas | el gas, el gas LP in tanks | el gas, el butano in cylinders | el gas, el gas natural | el gas |
| Internet | el internet | la fibra, el internet | el internet | el internet |
| The bill | el recibo | la factura | la factura, el recibo | la factura, la boleta |
| The meter | el medidor | el contador | el contador, el medidor | el medidor |
| The supply | el servicio | el suministro | el servicio | el servicio |
| The company | la compañía, la CFE for electricity | la compañía, la comercializadora | la empresa de servicios públicos | la empresa, Edenor or Edesur in Buenos Aires |
Two of those deserve a note. In Mexico el recibo is the utility bill and la factura means a tax invoice you request separately for accounting, so if you ask for la factura de la luz you get a different document. In Spain la fibra has largely replaced internet in speech, so a shop assistant will ask ¿Quieres fibra y móvil?
In Colombia there is a word with no equivalent in the other three: el estrato, the one-to-six band assigned to your address. What you pay for utilities depends on it. Every Colombian knows theirs, you fill it in on every form, and ¿De qué estrato es el apartamento? is a normal question when you rent.
Contracting the service
| You want to say | Spanish | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| I want to set up a contract | Quiero contratar el servicio. | Works in all four |
| I want to start the supply | Quiero dar de alta la luz. | Spain, and understood in Mexico. El alta is the connection, la baja the cancellation |
| I just moved in | Me acabo de mudar. | |
| The flat has no supply | El piso no tiene luz. (Spain) / El departamento no tiene luz. (Mexico, Argentina) / El apartamento no tiene luz. (Colombia) | |
| I want to change the account into my name | Quiero hacer el cambio de titular. | El titular is the account holder. The phrase is the same in all four |
| How much is the connection? | ¿Cuánto cuesta la instalación? | |
| How long does it take? | ¿Cuánto tarda? / ¿Cuánto demora? (Colombia, Argentina) | |
| Is there a minimum term? | ¿Tiene permanencia? | Spain’s word for a tied contract period. Elsewhere say ¿Hay cláusula de permanencia? |
| Can I pay by direct debit? | ¿Puedo domiciliar el recibo? (Spain) / ¿Puedo poner débito automático? (Mexico, Colombia, Argentina) |
In Spain you are asked for things the other countries do not ask for. La potencia contratada, the kilowatts your supply is rated for, is a figure you choose and pay for monthly, and el CUPS is the code identifying the property’s electricity supply point. Both are printed on any old bill for the flat, so ask the landlord for one before you call. Mexico’s equivalent identifier is el número de servicio on the CFE receipt, Argentina’s is el número de cliente, and Colombia’s is the account number at the top of the bill.
Giving a meter reading
| You want to say | Spanish | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| to read the meter | tomar la lectura | |
| I want to give a reading | Quiero dar la lectura del contador. (Spain) / del medidor (Mexico, Colombia, Argentina) | |
| It reads 40,215 | Marca cuarenta mil doscientos quince. | Marcar is the verb for what a meter shows |
| The meter is outside | El medidor está afuera. | |
| Nobody came to read it | No vinieron a tomar la lectura. | |
| It is an estimated bill | Es una lectura estimada. | The reason a bill arrives too high |
| the meter reader | el lecturista (Mexico) | The person who comes to the door. Elsewhere say el que viene a tomar la lectura |
Meters are read in person in much of Mexico, Colombia and Argentina, and remotely in most of urban Spain. If a bill is marked estimada or estimado, call and give a real number.
The installer visit
| You want to say | Spanish | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| the technician | el técnico | |
| When are they coming? | ¿Cuándo vienen? | |
| What time? | ¿A qué hora? | Expect a window, not a time |
| in the morning / afternoon | en la mañana / en la tarde | Spain says por la mañana, por la tarde |
| Nobody came | No vino nadie. | |
| They have to come back | Tienen que volver. | |
| the socket | el enchufe (Spain, Argentina) / el contacto (Mexico) / la toma (Colombia) | |
| the router | el router / el módem | Said as in English in all four. Spain also writes el rúter |
| the wifi password | la clave del wifi | La contraseña del wifi also works, in all four |
| It does not reach the back room | No llega al cuarto de atrás. |
Paying the bill
| Mexico | Spain | Colombia | Argentina | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where people pay in cash | en el Oxxo, en el banco | en el banco, or by direct debit | en Efecty, en el banco, en un corresponsal bancario | en Rapipago, en Pago Fácil |
| The due date | la fecha límite de pago | la fecha de cargo | la fecha de pago oportuno | el vencimiento |
| Late charge | el recargo | el recargo | el interés de mora | el recargo, los intereses |
| Direct debit | el cargo automático | la domiciliación | el débito automático | el débito automático |
Paying at a shop is normal in three of the four. In Mexico you take the paper receipt to an Oxxo or a supermarket and pay at the till. In Argentina, Rapipago and Pago Fácil counters exist for exactly this. In Colombia, Efecty offices and bank agents inside corner shops take utility payments. In Spain almost everything is paid by direct debit from a bank account, and the branch counter is the fallback.
Useful lines at the counter: Vengo a pagar la luz., I have come to pay the electricity. ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?, can I pay by card. ¿Me da el comprobante?, can I have the receipt. ¿Ya aparece como pagado?, does it show as paid now.
When the power or water goes
| You want to say | Spanish | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| The power is out | Se fue la luz. | The sentence everyone says, in all four |
| a blackout | un apagón | |
| a power cut | un corte de luz | Spain and Argentina say this most |
| The whole street is out | Se fue la luz en toda la calle. | |
| Do you know when it comes back? | ¿Sabe a qué hora vuelve? | |
| The trip switch went | Se botó el breaker. (Mexico, Colombia) / Saltó el diferencial. (Spain) / Saltó la térmica. (Argentina) | The fuse box is el tablero, or el cuadro de luces in Spain |
| There is no water | No hay agua. / Se fue el agua. | |
| a scheduled cut | un corte programado | |
| the water tank | el tinaco (Mexico, on the roof) / el tanque (Colombia) / el depósito (Spain) / el tanque de agua (Argentina) | |
| the water heater | el bóiler (Mexico) / el calentador, el termo (Spain) / el calentador (Colombia) / el termotanque, el calefón (Argentina) | |
| The water pressure is low | Tiene poca presión. | |
| a leak | una fuga (Mexico, Spain, Colombia) / una pérdida (Argentina) | An Argentine plumber says hay una pérdida de agua |
In Mexico, la pipa is the tanker that delivers water to a building when the mains supply fails, and ordering one, pedir una pipa de agua, is an ordinary part of city life in some neighbourhoods.
Disputing a bill
| You want to say | Spanish | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| The bill came in very high | Me llegó muy alta la factura. | |
| There is a mistake | Hay un error en el recibo. | |
| I never used that much | Nunca consumo tanto. | El consumo is the usage figure on the bill |
| I want to make a complaint | Quiero poner una reclamación. (Spain) / Quiero poner un reclamo. (Mexico, Colombia, Argentina) | Spain says reclamación, Latin America says reclamo |
| I want to file a PQR | Quiero radicar una PQR. | Colombia. Peticiones, quejas y reclamos, the formal complaint channel every utility must run |
| The complaints form, please | La hoja de reclamaciones, por favor. | Spain. Asking for it in a shop or office is a recognised step |
| I am not paying until it is fixed | No voy a pagar hasta que lo revisen. | |
| Can you send someone to check the meter? | ¿Pueden mandar a revisar el medidor? | |
| What is my case number? | ¿Cuál es mi número de folio? (Mexico) / de radicado (Colombia) / de reclamo (Argentina) / de incidencia (Spain) | Always ask for it and write it down |
Cancelling
Quiero dar de baja el servicio. is the sentence, and you can use it in all four countries. Then: ¿Desde qué fecha?, from what date. ¿Tengo que devolver el router?, do I have to give the router back, which in Spain and Colombia you usually do. ¿Hay penalización?, is there a penalty, which depends on whether you are inside la permanencia. ¿Me manda la confirmación por correo?, will you send me confirmation by email.
Cancelling by phone is normal, and the person on the line will try to keep you. Le puedo ofrecer un descuento means they are about to offer you a lower price. If you want out anyway: Gracias, pero quiero darlo de baja igual.
What customer service will ask
| You will hear | What it means |
|---|---|
| ¿Me da su número de cliente? | Your account number, please. |
| ¿Es usted el titular? | Are you the account holder? |
| ¿Me confirma su dirección completa? | Your full address, please. |
| ¿Me da su CURP? (Mexico) / su DNI o NIE (Spain) / su cédula (Colombia) / su DNI (Argentina) | Your ID number. |
| Permítame un momento en la línea. | Hold the line a moment. |
| Le paso con un compañero. | I will put you through to a colleague. Spain |
| Le voy a generar un folio. | I am opening a case for you. Mexico |
| Queda radicado con el número… | Your case is filed under number… Colombia |
| En un plazo de cinco días hábiles. | Within five working days. |
| ¿Algo más en lo que le pueda colaborar? | Anything else I can help with? Colombia |
If the speed is the problem, you can get through most calls with two lines: Más despacio, por favor. and ¿Me lo puede repetir?
Ten sentences you can say tomorrow
- Quiero contratar la luz, me acabo de mudar. I want to set up electricity, I have just moved in.
- Quiero dar de alta el suministro a mi nombre. I want the supply put in my name. (Spain)
- ¿Cuánto tarda la instalación de la fibra? How long does the fibre installation take? (Spain)
- Le doy la lectura del medidor: cuarenta mil doscientos quince. Here is the meter reading: 40,215.
- Se fue la luz en toda la calle desde las diez. The power has been out on the whole street since ten.
- Vengo a pagar el recibo de la luz. I have come to pay the electricity bill. (Mexico)
- Me llegó muy alta la factura, quiero poner un reclamo. The bill came in very high, I want to make a complaint.
- ¿Cuál es mi número de folio? What is my case number? (Mexico)
- No hay agua desde ayer. ¿Es un corte programado? There has been no water since yesterday. Is it a scheduled cut?
- Quiero dar de baja el servicio a fin de mes. I want to cancel the service at the end of the month.
Questions people ask
Is it “recibo”, “factura” or “boleta”? Recibo in Mexico for the utility bill, factura in Spain and Colombia, factura or boleta in Argentina. A Mexican factura is a tax invoice, which is why the word feels wrong there for a light bill.
How do I say “meter”? El contador in Spain, el medidor in Mexico and Argentina. In Colombia people use both.
What does “dar de alta” mean? To start a service in your name. The opposite is dar de baja, to cancel. The pair is understood across all four countries, and it applies to phone lines, gyms and insurance too.
How do I report a power cut? Se fue la luz and then the address. Utilities in all four have a phone line and most now take reports by app or WhatsApp, so ask ¿Lo puedo reportar por la app?
What is “estrato” in Colombia? The band from one to six assigned to a property. The rate you pay for utilities depends on it. It is on the bill and it comes up when you rent.
Where do I pay a bill in cash? Oxxo and supermarkets in Mexico, Rapipago and Pago Fácil in Argentina, Efecty and bank agents in Colombia. In Spain, direct debit is the norm and the bank branch is the cash option.
What is “permanencia”? A minimum contract period, mostly a Spanish internet and mobile term. If you leave early you pay una penalización, a fee. Ask ¿Tiene permanencia? before you sign anything.
How do I say the internet is not working? No funciona el internet in Spain and Colombia, no sirve el internet in Mexico, no anda el internet in Argentina. For slow rather than dead: está muy lento.
Practise these words
luz, agua, gas, factura, recibo, medidor, lectura, servicio, contratar, pagar, corte, técnico, reclamo. Vozelu is a free website for practising Spanish, and it has each of these. You see a sentence with one word missing, you type the word, and a native voice reads the sentence back. Practise the words on this page.