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avería

breakdown

noun ah-beh-REE-ah Rare
Travel & Places Transportation

Origin: From Arabic awariyya ('damaged goods'), via Catalan.

Also means

fault

Usage Note

Avería refers to a mechanical or technical failure: el coche tiene una avería ('the car has broken down'), avería en el sistema eléctrico ('electrical fault'). The verb is averiarse (reflexive): se averió la lavadora ('the washing machine broke down'). The Arabic root reflects the historical influence of Arabic on Spanish trade and nautical vocabulary — avería originally described damage to goods at sea.

Examples

"Llamaron al mecánico por la avería del camión."

Natural Translation

They called the mechanic because of the truck's breakdown.

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