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? - 00494d19, 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

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 4

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

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

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 8

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 9

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 10

La bateria no bueno. La bateria expirado.

Answer 11

no funcionan.

What country is this from? - Sharon-Cash, Jan 4, 2012

It works everywhere, it's most useful! - annierats, Jan 5, 2012

Answer 12

Down here we say ,

I have a flat battery

Tengo una batería plana

Here too mate. Obvious really right? :) - ian-hill, Jan 27, 2016

That seems so funny to me, I guess most english speakers would laugh at flat batteries, sounds like a tire rather than a battery. Thank you for bumping this one up, I had a LOT of fun hearing everybody's responses. - Sharon-Cash, Jan 27, 2016

De nada Sharon , I remember you from the old days . - ray76, Jan 27, 2016

Answer 13

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