When you need this

Sooner or later, you'll need to explain a computer problem to a friend, a family member or a repair shop. The trouble is that most people describe it as "It's broken", which tells the helper nothing. The phrases here let you say exactly what's happening: it's slow, it's frozen, it won't turn on, or a file has disappeared.

Good tech help starts with good description. Say what you were doing, what happened, and what you've already tried. "It froze while I was saving, and restarting didn't help" saves the helper ten questions.

Phrases

start or stop a computer

turn it off and on again

the screen stopped and nothing responds

a program closes by itself again and again

everything feels slower than usual

add a program / remove it

download the newest version

save a copy of your files somewhere else

all the files are gone

the cable that powers a laptop

the display turned dark suddenly

asking someone to check the problem

Say it out loud

Tap a sentence to hear it. Say it after the voice.

Practice · 3 min

Say the line that fits. Situation on the left, one natural line on the right.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Say it today

Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.