In English "Batteries Die" But NoT in Spanish!!!

Question

Okay, so ALL my friends got a BIG KICK out of me the other night when my bettery died. I was SO PROUD of myself when they asked me what happened and I was able to use the correct construction and VERY PROUDLY said "la bateria se murió" they all looked at each other and burst out laughing!!!

My Pastor said "Sharon, bateries don't die in Spanish" . They gave me some of their examples. La bateria se baja....la bateria se enfrió...these are from Mexico.

Just wondering...What happens to bateries in other Spanish Speaking Countries and what are the different expressions you would use.

Please give me your expressions and what country they are from!!!

Thank you Sharon Cash

• there is an accent on the "o" in "se murio"... So, what examples did they give you? - lydianish1 Jan 4, 2012
• I love this question! - Goyo Jan 4, 2012
• maybe you would like to share what they said? - Heidita Jan 4, 2012
• Been there and done that... jaja, in fact, batteries dieing is probably one of the most common learning mistakes. ;-P - DJ_Huero Jan 4, 2012
• Great story! Thanks for sharing. If not for this post, I would have said the same thing! :-) - TejanaJo Jan 4, 2012

Answer 1

Well, I guess in English you can say "...run out" right?

In Chile:

Se agotan.

(they exhaust themselves) Isn't it funny?

• Cute!!! Thank you - Sharon-Cash Jan 4, 2012
• That makes more sense to me than "running low". Batteries do quit working and can't be recharged eventually. - Gillygaloo Jan 4, 2012
• I shall remeber it for next time, chileno. And add no funcíona nada más.. - annierats Jan 5, 2012
• Isn't that* funny? - Goldie_Miel Jan 16, 2012
• Right. I missed that one. It is all so tight together... :-) - chileno Jan 16, 2012

Answer 2

Se acabó la batería. (México)

Answer 3

At least in Colombia you can say "la batería se murió".

• well that's nice to know! - Gillygaloo Jan 4, 2012

Answer 4

I lived in Mexico and said the same thing you did. And yes they laughed at me. Big deal. Batteries die. And unless they are rechargeavble they do not come back to life.

But they use "se agotan" or "se acaban".

I still use se murío. Let them laugh!!!!!!!!!!!!

• We'll train them up, gring, if we persist! - annierats Jan 4, 2012
• love it! - patch Jan 4, 2012
• I didn't see your post till I had already commented.. I totally agree! - Gillygaloo Jan 4, 2012
• I like your spunk gringojrf! - Gillygaloo Jan 4, 2012
• lol - Goldie_Miel Jan 16, 2012

Answer 5

From England

My battery is flat.

• :) - chileno Jan 4, 2012
• Hmmm... England is now a Spanish speaking country?! I guess if you are there at least one person does. - katydew Jan 4, 2012
• Lol @ eddy & katydew! - DJ_Huero Jan 4, 2012
• that's cute, thank yo for sharing!! - Sharon-Cash Jan 4, 2012

Answer 6

Se me acabaron las pilas. Se (me) agotó la batería. Se (me) descargó la pila / batería.

However, when talking about a car battery, it is not unheard of to say: "se me murió la batería". It sounds a bit funny, but people know what this means.

Answer 7

no funcionan.

• What country is this from? - Sharon-Cash Jan 4, 2012
• It works everywhere, it's most useful! - annierats Jan 5, 2012

Answer 8

La bateria no bueno. La bateria expirado.

Answer 9

In Spain they usually say pilares, for batteries, at least where I was.That's for bigger batteries, like car batteries, little ones may be baterías.

I did once say a car had died on me, but the conversation went badly until I changed it to ' aranca'. But that was the whole car ( actually it was the alternator of a hired car in Mallorca).

I will now get shot at, pilares may be Andaluces...

• And I did get rescued, without uttering a word in English, a small matter of pride, on a bad day. - annierats Jan 4, 2012
• Arrancar is to start. Used for the starter. OR when the car will not start. Pilas is also used in Mexico. - gringojrf Jan 4, 2012
• Thanks gring, the car died and then it wouldn't start! They understood that, right away. But not when I said it died. - annierats Jan 4, 2012
• Jeje, oh Annie, I can just imagine their thoughts: "¿Se murió?....*completely puzzled*...¿Cómo que se murió?" - Goldie_Miel Jan 16, 2012
• Indeed goldi. It was amatter of pride to me that the man didn't go back to Engglish however, even though I knew he spoke quite well. We perservered and I was able to tell him where I was and that the car had run badly for an hour before giving up.. - annierats Jan 16, 2012

Answer 10

Ok, my two cents, "se murió..." would work, but indeed is a comical phrase. I would stick to (the already suggested) "la batería se bajó" o "la batería se agotó", they both come closest to what you are literally saying in English and still make sense in Spanish.

A N D if it's any correlation, my iPhone (being the lastest technology) tells me "batería agotando".

Ok ok... after-thought... I see you're an American learning/ using Spanish. In the US, atleast in the South, never use "pila" for a car battery. I work for Toyota and customers as well as I always call it, "batería". Using "pila" for a car would probably earn you the same reaction as you received in your previous mistake here, and would probably follow with some jokes about your car (how small it must be, if it's toy, S M A R T car, etc...)

Answer 11

Texas Spanish -- "la batería se me acabó" or "la batería se me descargó," or if referring to a car that will not run for any reason, "no funciona" or "no trabaja."

Paco: "Oye, José, ¡mi carcacha no trabaja otra vez anoche!" José: "¿Qué pasó?" Paco: "Se me acabó la batería. Tuvo que cambiarla." José: "De acuerdo. ¿Quiéres que ir a la tienda al rato?" Paco: "Pues, mi carro todavía no se puede manejar..." José: "¿Pór qué?" Paco: "Entonces, ¡porque lo fue robado esta mañana!"

Answer 12

Me quedé sin batería.

Don't ask me where the stuff in my head is from, movies I guess.

• hmm usually is what i would say if my car battery died, not my radio, or flashlight. Clue: it is missing an S :) - chileno Jan 16, 2012