¡Hola! Welcome back.
In our last lesson, we focused on getting dressed and undressed with the commands ponte and quítate. You learned that the little -te at the end is a key part of the command. Today, we'll see that exact same pattern as we move on to another essential part of the daily routine: hygiene.
This lesson will teach you the two most important hygiene commands for your son: lávate las manos (wash your hands) and cepíllate los dientes (brush your teeth). These are phrases you will use every single day, making them incredibly valuable for building your conversational routine in Spanish.
1. The "Wash Your Hands" Command: ¡Lávate las manos!
Let's start with one of the most common instructions for any child: "Wash your hands." In Spanish, you'll say: Lávate las manos.
Just like with the clothing commands, let's look at the structure:
Lavais the command "Wash."temeans "yourself."- Combined,
Lávatemeans "Wash yourself."
The phrase is completed with las manos (the hands). Remember how you learned ponte los zapatos (put on the shoes)? It's the same idea here. The te in lávate already makes it clear whose hands are being washed, so you use las manos (the hands) instead of "your hands."
This command is fundamental. You'll find it in almost any list of useful Spanish phrases for parents.
To see this phrase in context with other common commands, let's refer to a practical list.
A printable list of common Spanish phrases to use with kids.
The resource 'A printable list of common Spanish phrases to use with kids' from Spanish Playground is an excellent reference. It lists 'Lávate las manos' as a key phrase for starting the day.
Under the heading 'Say It Like This – Dilo Así', find the sub-heading 'Start the Day'. You will see 'Lávate las manos' listed there.
You can use this command at many points during the day:
- Before meals:
¡A comer! Pero primero, lávate las manos.(Time to eat! But first, wash your hands.) - After playing outside.
- After using the bathroom.
2. The "Brush Your Teeth" Command: ¡Cepíllate los dientes!
Next up is the essential command for morning and night: "Brush your teeth." The Spanish phrase is Cepíllate los dientes.
The pattern is identical:
Cepillais the command "Brush."temeans "yourself."- Combined,
Cepíllatemeans "Brush yourself."
You complete the phrase with los dientes (the teeth).
You can see this phrase, along with Lávate las manos, in the following resource which is great for common household commands.
The article '67 tú commands in Spanish' from Baselang provides a clear table of commands used at home. This will reinforce that the phrases you're learning are standard and widely used.
Look at the table under the section 'Affirmative tú commands'. You will find both 'Cepíllate los dientes' and 'Lávate las manos antes de comer'.
To help you and your son visualize the whole process, here is a helpful infographic.
While you don't need to learn all ten steps right now, it's great to see the main command in action. It helps make the language more concrete and connected to the activity itself.
Test your understanding!
It's morning. You've just finished breakfast with your son and you're about to leave for his school. What are two hygiene-related things you might say to him in Spanish?
Show answer
You would likely say:
¡Lávate las manos!(Wash your hands!)¡Cepíllate los dientes!(Brush your teeth!)
The Verbo + te Pattern: A Quick Review
You've now learned four very powerful commands that all follow the same simple pattern:
| Verb (Action) | Command Form | Full Phrase Example |
|---|---|---|
Poner (to put on) |
Ponte |
Ponte los zapatos. |
Quitar (to take off) |
Quítate |
Quítate la chaqueta. |
Lavar (to wash) |
Lávate |
Lávate las manos. |
Cepillar (to brush) |
Cepíllate |
Cepíllate los dientes. |
Recognizing this verbo + te pattern is more useful than memorizing complex grammar rules. When you see a command ending in -te, you'll know it's an instruction for the person you're talking to (your son) to do something to themselves.
Key Takeaways
¡Excelente! You have now added two more essential phrases to your daily routine toolkit.
- To say "Wash your hands," you use
¡Lávate las manos!. - To say "Brush your teeth," you use
¡Cepíllate los dientes!. - Both commands follow the same
verbo + testructure you learned in the last lesson, making them easy to remember and use.
Next Steps
We are making great progress in building the language for your family's daily routines. In the next lesson, we will complete our focus on mornings and evenings by learning key phrases for waking up (¡despierta!) and going to bed (vamos a la cama, buenas noches).
¡Hasta la próxima