Portuguese Phrase
Quem cuida dos consertos?
Meaning
A direct question asking who is responsible for fixing things – whether it’s a broken appliance, a car, or any other item that needs repair. The phrase can be used in casual conversation, at work, or when coordinating household chores.
When to use
Use this sentence when you notice something broken and need to know who will handle the repair, such as in a home, office, or workshop. It works both in informal chats with friends and in more formal settings like a meeting with a property manager.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Quemcuidadosconsertos?
Quem (interrogative pronoun)
Used to ask about a person; it does not change with gender or number.
cuidar de (verb + preposition)
The verb *cuidar* always requires the preposition *de* to introduce the thing or person being looked after.
dos = de + os
The preposition *de* contracts with the masculine plural article *os* to form *dos*.
consertos (noun, plural)
Plural of *conserto*, meaning ‘repair, fixing’. It agrees with the article *os*.
Verb‑subject agreement
*cuida* is the third‑person singular present form of *cuidar* and matches the implicit subject *ele/ela* (the person who takes care).
🗨In Conversation
A máquina quebrou de novo. Quem cuida dos consertos?
The machine broke again. Who takes care of the repairs?
É o técnico da empresa, ele sempre vem quando precisamos.
It’s the company’s technician; he always comes when we need him.
✕Common Mistakes
Quem cuidar os consertos?
The verb *cuidar* always needs the preposition *de*; omit it and the sentence is ungrammatical.
Quem cuida de consertos?
If you drop the article, the phrase sounds incomplete; you need *dos* (de + os) or *dos* can be replaced by *dos* only when the noun is plural.
↔Alternatives
Quem é responsável pelos consertos?
Who is responsible for the repairs?
Quem faz os reparos?
Who does the repairs?
Quem cuida das manutenções?
Who takes care of the maintenance?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, *conserto* is the everyday word for fixing something, while *reparo* sounds a bit more formal or technical. When you want to stress responsibility, the construction *cuidar de* is preferred over just *fazer* or *consertar*. Also, note that the contraction *dos* (de + os) is mandatory; saying *de os* sounds unnatural.