Frasa
SituationsGet the app (opens the App Store in a new tab)

Catalan phrases for taking back a faulty product in Catalonia

Take the item back, with the receipt if you have it, and say what is wrong: “Va deixar de funcionar als dos dies”. Then say what you’d like: “Em pot donar un de nou, si us plau?”. If the assistant needs to check, wait calmly, or ask “Podria parlar amb el responsable?”. Stay polite and use vostè.

Try it · about two minutes

Something you bought stopped working after two days, so you take it back to the shop and ask what they can do.

Sound on: the shop assistant speaks Catalan. You choose what to say back, and Frasa tells you why it works.

How does the conversation usually go?

  1. Shop assistant

    Puc ajudar-lo?

    Can I help you?

    You

    Voldria tornar això.

    I’d like to return this.

  2. Shop assistant

    Quin és el problema?

    What’s the problem?

    You

    Va deixar de funcionar als dos dies.

    It stopped working after two days.

  3. Shop assistant

    Té el tiquet?

    Do you have the receipt?

    You

    Aquí té el tiquet.

    Here’s the receipt.

  4. Shop assistant

    Vol el reemborsament o un canvi?

    Would you like a refund or an exchange?

    You

    Em pot donar un de nou, si us plau?

    Could you give me a new one, please?

  5. Shop assistant

    Ho hauré de consultar amb el responsable.

    I’ll need to ask the manager.

    You

    Puc esperar si no triga gaire.

    I can wait if it doesn’t take long.

  6. The assistant comes back with the manager’s answer. You want to thank them for their time.

    You

    Li agraeixo molt l'ajuda.

    I really appreciate your help.

Which Catalan phrases do you need?

  • Voldria tornar això.

    I’d like to return this.

  • Va deixar de funcionar als dos dies.

    It stopped working after two days.

  • L'article tenia un defecte quan el vaig obrir.

    The item was faulty when I opened it.

  • Està trencat.

    It’s broken.

  • Té el tiquet?

    Do you have the receipt?

  • Aquí té el tiquet.

    Here’s the receipt.

  • He perdut el tiquet, però vaig pagar amb targeta.

    I’ve lost the receipt, but I paid by card.

  • Em pot donar un de nou, si us plau?

    Could you give me a new one, please?

  • Podria buscar la meva compra al sistema?

    Could you look up my purchase in the system?

  • Podria parlar amb el responsable?

    Could I speak to the manager?

What is worth knowing in Catalonia?

At the counter

  1. 1

    Bring the item, with its packaging if you still have it.

  2. 2

    Show the receipt. If you’ve lost it, say you paid by card.

    I’ve lost the receipt, but I paid by card.
  3. 3

    Say what happened in one short sentence.

    It stopped working after two days.

Ask, don’t demand

Polite

Em pot donar un de nou, si us plau?

Could you give me a new one, please?

Sounds abrupt

Vull un de nou.

I want a new one.

A question with em pot… keeps the tone friendly, and a friendly tone usually gets a quicker answer.

Ask, don’t assume

If you’re not sure whether the item is still under guarantee, ask. The shop will answer from its own records.

Aquest article encara té garantia?

Is this item still under guarantee?

Questions about this situation

Which Catalan phrases matter most here?
“Voldria tornar això.” (I’d like to return this); “Va deixar de funcionar als dos dies.” (It stopped working after two days); “L'article tenia un defecte quan el vaig obrir.” (The item was faulty when I opened it). The full list is above.
Can I hear how they sound?
Yes: press the speaker next to a phrase to hear it, recorded for the Frasa app.
How can I practise this conversation?
Press “Start the conversation” above to play it through and choose your replies, with a note on why some fit better in Catalonia. Frasa, an iPhone app, lets you save these phrases and rehearse them out loud.

Related situations in Catalan

All situations in Catalan

Practise these phrases in Frasa

Frasa is an iPhone app for the conversations in front of you. Save phrases like these, rehearse them out loud, and they come back until they stick.

AI-generated. May be inaccurate.