убира́ться
ubirátʹsja
The English phrase 'clean up' is translated into Russian as убира́ться (ubirátʹsja). Wiktionary also lists прибираться (pribiratʹsja).
Meaning: to make an area or a thing clean (verb)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| убира́ться | ubirátʹsja |
| прибираться | pribiratʹsja |
The phrase is used to describe the act of making an area or a thing clean.
Which one should you use?
убира́ться is the standard, most common way to say 'to clean up' or 'to tidy up'. In contrast, прибираться often implies a lighter, more casual task of tidying up or 'straightening up' rather than a deep clean.
How does it change in a sentence?
The suffix –ся in both forms indicates that the action is reflexive or directed toward the subject's environment.
How do you pronounce it?
ubirátʹsja
Did you know?
- In a household context, if a mother tells a child Убира́йся!, she is not just asking them to tidy, but often commanding them to 'get out' or 'clear off', as the reflexive form can also mean 'to leave' or 'to depart'.
- By adding the prefix раз- to the root, убира́ться transforms into разбира́ться, which shifts the meaning from physical cleaning to the mental act of 'figuring something out'.
- The root of убира́ться is the verb бирать, which means 'to take' or 'to collect'. When you clean, you are literally 'taking away' the mess or 'collecting' items into their places.
Examples in context
- Ребята, давайте уберем свои игрушки перед обедом.Guys, let's clean up our toys before lunch.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “clean up” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
