🧹 Chores

⏱ 6 min read

In this section you'll learn useful Spanish vocabulary for household chores, cleaning, organizing the home, and talking about everyday responsibilities.

🟢 Everyday Household Chores

🧹 To clean → Limpiar
🛏️ To make the bed → Hacer la cama
🗑️ To take out the trash → Sacar la basura
🍽️ To wash the dishes → Lavar los platos
🧸 To tidy up → Ordenar
🧽 To clean the bathroom → Limpiar el baño
🍳 To clean the kitchen → Limpiar la cocina
🪟 To clean the windows → Limpiar las ventanas

🟡 Cleaning the House

🧹 To sweep → Barrer
🪣 To mop → Trapear / Fregar el suelo
🧹 To vacuum → Pasar la aspiradora
🪶 To dust → Quitar el polvo
🧽 To scrub → Fregar
🧴 To disinfect → Desinfectar

🏠 Other Household Responsibilities

🍳 To cook → Cocinar
🍽️ To set the table → Poner la mesa
🛒 To do the grocery shopping → Hacer la compra
🐕 To walk the dog → Pasear al perro
🐾 To feed the pets → Dar de comer a las mascotas
🌱 To water the plants → Regar las plantas
🌿 To take care of the garden → Cuidar el jardín
♻️ To recycle → Reciclar

🧴 Cleaning Supplies

🧹 Broom → Escoba
🪣 Bucket → Cubo / Balde
🧽 Sponge → Esponja
🧹 Vacuum cleaner → Aspiradora
🗑️ Trash bag → Bolsa de basura
🧴 Cleaning product → Producto de limpieza

🧠 Talking About Responsibilities

Tener que + infinitive expresses something you have to do:

Tengo que limpiar la casa.
I have to clean the house.
Hay que + infinitive expresses something that needs to be done:

Hay que sacar la basura.
The trash needs to be taken out.
Deber + infinitive can express what someone should do:

Debes ordenar tu habitación.
You should tidy your room.
Tocar can be used conversationally to say whose turn it is:

Hoy me toca lavar los platos.
It's my turn to wash the dishes today.

📅 How Often Do You Do Chores?

☀️ Every day → Todos los días
📆 Once a week → Una vez por semana
📅 On weekends → Los fines de semana
🔁 Sometimes → A veces
⏰ Usually → Normalmente
♾️ Always → Siempre

🌎 Regional Vocabulary Tip

The word for "to mop" varies by region. Trapear is common in many parts of Latin America, while fregar el suelo is common in Spain.
You'll also hear different words for a bucket, including cubo and balde, depending on the country.

💬 Everyday Chore Phrases

🧹 Necesito limpiar la casa este fin de semana.
I need to clean the house this weekend.
🗑️ ¿Puedes sacar la basura, por favor?
Can you take out the trash, please?
🛏️ Todavía no he hecho la cama.
I still haven't made the bed.
🍽️ Hoy te toca lavar los platos.
It's your turn to wash the dishes today.

💬 Everyday Conversations

Dividing the chores

A: ¿Quién va a sacar la basura?
B: Yo la saco. ¿Puedes tú lavar los platos?

A: Who's going to take out the trash?
B: I'll take it out. Can you wash the dishes?
Cleaning day

A: ¿Qué tenemos que limpiar hoy?
B: Hay que limpiar la cocina y pasar la aspiradora.

A: What do we have to clean today?
B: We need to clean the kitchen and vacuum.

📝 Example Sentences

🪣 Ella trapea el piso de la cocina.
She mops the kitchen floor.
🧹 Pasamos la aspiradora una vez por semana.
We vacuum once a week.
🌱 Él riega las plantas todas las mañanas.
He waters the plants every morning.
🐕 Paseo al perro después del trabajo.
I walk the dog after work.
🪶 Tenemos que quitar el polvo de los muebles.
We have to dust the furniture.
♻️ En mi casa separamos la basura para reciclar.
At my house, we separate the trash for recycling.

🏆 Final Practice

Try saying each phrase before pressing play.

  • Tengo que limpiar la casa.
  • Hoy me toca lavar los platos.
  • ¿Puedes sacar la basura?
  • Voy a pasar la aspiradora.
  • Hay que regar las plantas.
  • Todavía no he hecho la cama.