lavar
/laˈbaɾ/
The English phrase wash is translated into Spanish as lavar.
The verb lavar means to clean with water. It is related to the noun lavado, which refers to a process or an instance of washing or being washed by water and the noun enjuague, which means lotion. The noun lavadero, derived from lavar, refers to a place where washing is done, such as a laundry room or a washbasin.
Meaning: to clean with water (verb)
Which one should you use?
While lavar is used for washing objects or body parts with water, limpiar is used for the more general concept of cleaning or tidying.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The infinitive form is lavar.
How do you pronounce it?
/laˈbaɾ/
Did you know?
- In Spain, a lavadero was historically a communal stone trough where entire villages gathered to wash clothes, serving as a primary social hub for women.
- The word lavar shares a common ancestor with the English word 'lavatory'.
- The English word 'lavish' has a distant connection to the same root of 'to wash' through the idea of washing or pouring over something abundantly.
Examples in context
- Lavar antes de usar.Wash before first wearing.This sentence is useful for the instruction to use lavar before a first wearing.Tatoeba #2765 by Shishir, translation #1574 by AlanF_US
- Le vi lavar el coche.I saw him wash the car.This sentence shows the use of lavar when seeing someone wash a car.Tatoeba #596232 by Shishir, translation #283828 by CK
- Voy a lavar mi coche.I'm going to wash my car.This sentence shows the use of lavar when stating an intention to wash a car.Tatoeba #1306756 by marcelostockle, translation #1306759 by CK
- Ana tiene que lavar la ropa antes de salir.Ana has to wash the clothes before leaving.
- El personal debe asear las áreas comunes regularmente.The staff must clean the common areas regularly.
- Voy a lavar el carro esta tarde.I am going to wash the car this afternoon.
- ¡Vamos a limpiar los platos sucios!Let's wash the dirty dishes!
- Después de cortar las frutas, debes enjuagarlas antes de comer.After cutting the fruit, you should rinse them before eating.
- María tiene que fregar los platos después de cenar.María has to wash the dishes after dinner.
- Es hora de lavarse la cara antes de dormir.It's time to wash your face before sleeping.
- Necesito lavarropas nuevo porque el anterior se rompió.I need a new washing machine because the old one broke.
- 107 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and María are preparing to cook dinner together.
- AlejandroNecesito lavar las verduras primero.I need to wash the vegetables first.
- MaríaEstá bien, yo puedo ayudarvte.That's fine, I can help you.
- Alejandro¿Puedes lavar el tomate también?Can you wash the tomato too?
- MaríaSí, lo haré ahora mismo.Yes, I'll do it right now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wash” translations and entries lavar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lavar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
