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'Repair' is more formal and technical; 'fix' is the everyday word for making something work again.
Side-by-side comparison
"Repair" means to fix something damaged, usually in a more technical or professional way: a mechanic, an electrician, a repair company.
The mechanic said the car would take two days to repair.
It's going to cost a lot to repair the roof after the storm.
The company sent a technician to repair the printer this morning.
"Fix" is the more common, casual word for making something work again, from a technical problem to a tricky situation. It also means "to solve" in a broader sense.
Can you fix my phone? The screen won't turn on.
We need to fix this before the client sees it.
I tried to fix the Wi-Fi myself, but I had to call someone.
Common mistake
- •In everyday English almost nobody says "repair my phone" for a simple problem, it sounds oddly formal; people say "fix my phone".
- •"Repair" is normal for big or technical things: "repair the roof", "repair the engine".
Trick to remember it
Think of "repair" as a professional's job with tools (repair shop, repair service). "Fix" is what you say at home, with friends, in everyday situations.
Quick rule
Is it a big technical problem, or said by a professional/company? "Repair". Is it everyday, casual, or a problem in general (not just objects)? "Fix".
Did you know?
"Repair" comes from Latin "reparare" (to prepare again), the same root as "prepare". "Fix" comes from Latin "fixus" (fixed, fastened), it originally meant "to nail down" or "hold something in place", and only later shifted to mean "to mend" in 19th-century American informal English. That's why in more formal British English, "mend" (for clothes) and "repair" are still more common than "fix" in contexts where American English now uses "fix" freely.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
The washing machine broke again. Can you _____ it, or should we just buy a new one?
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
The airline had to ground the plane because engineers needed to _____ a mechanical issue before takeoff.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
"Above" is at a higher level without contact; "over" implies covering, movement, or crossing.
'Currently' means 'at the present time'; 'actually' means 'in reality', not 'nowadays'.
"Actually" corrects or contrasts an assumption; "really" intensifies or confirms.
'Adopt' means to take something on as your own; 'adapt' means to adjust to something new.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy