Handling daily tasks becomes much easier when you can to do chores in Spanish, especially at home or while traveling. This guide helps you learn practical verbs, polite phrasing, and common routines so you can talk about chores naturally.
Use the quick reference below to match Spanish verbs with clear English meanings and typical objects, then practice the examples in real situations.
| Spanish Verb | English Meaning | Typical Object | Example Phrase |
|---|---|---|---|
| lavar | to wash | dishes, clothes | Lavo los platos después de comer. |
| barrer | to sweep | floor, crumbs | Barro el piso todos los días. |
| pasar | to vacuum, to sweep | floor, carpet | Paso la aspiradora en la sala. |
| quitar | to clear, to take away | dishes, clutter | Quito la mesa después de cenar. |
| planchar | to iron | clothes | Plancho las camisas los lunes. |
| hacer | to do, to make | bed, food, tasks | Hago la cama al levantarme. |
| sacar | to take out | trash, laundry | Saco la basura los martes. |
| arreglar | to fix, to tidy | room, closet | Arreglo mi habitación los sábados. |
Common Household Chores Verbs
Wash and Clean Tasks
Spanish offers precise verbs for everyday cleaning actions. Lavar means to wash dishes or laundry, while fregar focuses on scrubbing pots. Use these verbs with household nouns to build clear instructions for yourself or others at home.
Daily Maintenance Actions
Barrer, pasar, and quitar describe regular maintenance movements. Barrer is used for sweeping dirt, pasar works for vacuuming or sweeping in a routine motion, and quitar emphasizes removing items or mess from a surface quickly.
Polite Requests and Family Phrases
Softening Commands at Home
When you ask someone to do chores in Spanish, use por favor and podrías or hazme un favor to sound polite. Instead of an abrupt command, try Hazme un favor de lavar los platos, por favor, which feels cooperative rather than demanding.
Sharing Responsibilities Clearly
Phrases like Tú lavas y yo barro make it easy to divide tasks. You can also say Cada uno limpia su área to set expectations. Clear verbs and simple pronouns prevent confusion in shared households.
Regular Routines and Schedules
Building a Weekly Plan
Link chores to days of the week using los lunes, los miércoles, or los fines de semana. For example, Plancho la ropa los sábados and Paso la aspiradora los martes create a predictable rhythm that helps everyone stay on track.
Using Time Expressions Naturally
Add antes de salir or después de cenar to show timing. You can say Antes de salir, haz la cama y recoge los libros, which gives a complete picture of when and what needs to happen without sounding rigid.
Regional Variations and Tips
Word Choices Across Spanish-Speaking Regions
In some regions, fregar is more common for dishes, while in others they say lavar los platos. Knowing these small differences helps you sound natural whether you are in Spain, Mexico, or Argentina when doing chores.
Everyday Vocabulary Shortcuts
Learn quick combinations like lavar platos, pasar la aspiradora, and sacar la basura. These short phrases are easy to remember and appear often in daily conversation, making them perfect for real-life use.
Key Takeaways and Next Steps
- Memorize core verbs like lavar, barrer, pasar, and hacer to describe most chores.
- Use por favor and podrías to keep requests polite at home.
- Assign tasks by day of the week to build a consistent routine.
- Notice regional differences so your Spanish matches local usage.
- Practice short phrases during real activities to improve fluency quickly.
FAQ
Reader questions
How do I politely ask a family member to wash the dishes in Spanish?
You can say, ¿Podrías lavar los platos, por favor? or Hazme un favor de lavar los platos si estás cómodo, which sound respectful and collaborative.
What is the best way to say I will do the laundry in Spanish?
Say Voy a lavar la ropa or Hoy lavo la ropa to communicate your plan clearly and naturally.
How can I tell my roommate to take out the trash in a friendly way?
Try, ¿Saca la basura cuando puedas, por favor? which keeps the request light and polite.
What is a simple weekly chore schedule I can use in Spanish?
Plan your week with lunes: lavo platos, miércoles: paso la aspiradora, viernes: quito el polvo, sábados: arreglo la casa, which creates a clear routine you can follow easily.