sacar la basura
/sakaɾ la basuɾa/from spelling rules
The English phrase "take out the trash" is translated into Spanish as sacar la basura.
Meaning: used other than figuratively or idiomatically (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb sacar (to take out/extract) and the noun phrase la basura (the trash/garbage).
Is it said differently in some regions?
The phrase sacar la basura can be used interchangeably with sacar la mugre in some contexts, though basura is the standard term for household waste.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb sacar is a regular -ar verb in the present indicative, so sacas la basura means "you take out the trash" in the informal tú form.
How do you pronounce it?
/sakaɾ la basuɾa/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking regions, the verb sacar is used for things that English speakers would 'pick up', such as sacar el perro to mean 'take the dog for a walk'.
- While sacar la basura refers to household waste, the word basura is often used as a biting insult to describe a person as 'trashy' or 'worthless'.
- The verb sacar is a distant relative of the English word 'seek'. Both are believed to share an ancient Proto-Indo-European ancestor.
Examples in context
- Me toca sacar la basura.It's my turn to take out the trash.This sentence is useful for expressing that it is one's turn to perform the task using sacar la basura.Tatoeba #7128591 by mervert1, translation #2798685 by CK
- Acabo de lavar los platos y ahora me toca sacar la basura.I just washed the dishes and now I have to take out the trash.This sentence is useful for showing a sequence of completed chores followed by the obligation to perform sacar la basura.Tatoeba #4687446 by halime, translation #4687435 by halime
- Lleve la basura afuera, por favor.Take the trash outside, please.
- Saque la basura, por favor.Take out the trash, please.
- Por favor, deshágase de la basura.Please dispose of the trash.
- Tira la basura.Throw away the trash.
- Lleva la basura afuera.Take the trash outside.
- No olvides sacar la basura antes de salir.Don't forget to take out the trash before leaving.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía are in their kitchen in the morning.
- Alejandro¿Puedes sacar la basura, Sofía?Can you take out the trash, Sofía?
- SofíaSí, lo haré ahora mismo.Yes, I will do it right now.
- AlejandroGracias, eres muy amable.Thanks, you are very kind.
- SofíaDe nada, Alejandro.You're welcome, Alejandro.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “take out the trash” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries basura, la, sacar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
