Me lavo las manos
/me labo las manos/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I wash my hands" is translated into Spanish as Me lavo las manos.
Me lavo las manos is used to state that you are cleaning your hands using water and soap.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, the phrase is constructed as "Myself [I] wash the hands" (Me lavo las manos).
How does it change in a sentence?
In Spanish, instead of using a possessive adjective like "my" (mis), you use a reflexive pronoun (me) and the definite article (las) to indicate that the action is performed on your own body parts.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly say Lavo mis manos by translating "my" literally. Instead, use the reflexive me and the article las to sound more natural.
Did you know?
- Using the possessive 'my' as mis manos is not just unnatural, it can sound as if you are washing a detached set of hands that do not belong to your living body.
- The phrase lavarse las manos is used as an idiom to describe someone avoiding responsibility, mirroring the biblical story of Pontius Pilate.
- The reflexive structure used in Me lavo las manos is not unique to hands but is the standard way Spanish refers to almost all body parts, such as the face in me lavo la cara.
Examples in context
- Me lavo las manos.I wash my hands.Tatoeba #1305230 by Shishir, translation #646252 by aandrusiak
- Me lavo las manos porque están sucias.I wash my hands because they're dirty.Tatoeba #1198531 by cueyayotl, translation #1194012 by FiRez
- Me lavo las manos antes de almorzar.I wash my hands before lunch.Tatoeba #437147 by lukaszpp, translation #437146 by lukaszpp
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are in the kitchen preparing to eat.
- MateoMe lavo las manos primero.I wash my hands first.
- SofíaEstá bien, Mateo.That's fine, Mateo.
- Mateo¿Quieres que te traiga una toalla, Sofía?Do you want me to bring you a towel, Sofía?
- SofíaSí, por favor.Yes, please.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
