hora de limpiar
/oɾa de limpjaɾ/from spelling rules
The English phrase "clean up time" is translated into Spanish as hora de limpiar.
hora de limpiar is commonly used by parents or teachers to signal the transition from playtime to tidying up activities.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of hora (hour/time), de (of) and limpiar (to clean).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, the phrase Hora de hacer la limpieza can be used to refer to "clean up time".
How do you pronounce it?
/oɾa de limpjaɾ/
Did you know?
- The English word 'limpid' is a distant linguistic cousin to the Spanish verb limpiar, sharing the same Latin root for things that are clear or pure.
- In many Spanish-speaking households, rather than saying hora de limpiar, a parent might simply shout ¡A recoger!, which means 'to pick up' or 'to collect'.
- While hora de limpiar is used for tidying, the related word limpieza can be used in a religious context to describe a spiritual cleansing or purification.
Examples in context
- ¡Es hora de limpiar!It's clean up time!
- Es hora de limpiar la cocina.It is time to clean the kitchen.
- ¡Es hora de limpiar tus juguetes!It is time to clean up your toys!
- Ya es hora de limpiar el salón.It is already time to clean the living room.
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are playing with toys in the living room.
- LucíaMateo, ya es hora de limpiar.Mateo, it is clean up time now.
- MateoSolo cinco minutos más, por favor.Just five more minutes, please.
- LucíaNo, tenemos que recoger todo ahora.No, we have to pick everything up now.
- MateoEstá bien, yo ayudo a Lucía.Okay, I will help Lucía.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, hora, limpiar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
