Keeping a Shared Bathroom Clean | Learn Spanish in English

About This Lesson

Use Keeping a Shared Bathroom Clean to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

¿Puedo usar este baño compartido?

PWEH-doh oo-SAR EH-steh BAH-nyoh kohm-par-TEE-doh. Can I use this shared bathroom?

Puedes usarlo y, por favor, mantén limpia el área del lavabo.

PWEH-dehs oo-SAR-loh ee, por fah-VOR, mahn-TEN LEEM-pyah el AH-reh-ah dehl lah-VAH-boh. You can, and please keep the sink area clean.

Necesito una toalla de papel.

neh-seh-SEE-toh OO-nah toh-AH-yah deh pah-PEHL. I need a paper towel.

Hay algunas cerca del lavabo.

eye ahl-GOO-nahs SEHR-kah dehl lah-VAH-boh. There are some near the sink.

¿Esto va a la basura?

EH-stoh bah ah lah bah-SOO-rah? Does this go in the trash?

Ponlo en el cubo pequeño.

POHN-loh en el KOO-boh peh-KEH-nyoh. Put it in the small bin.

También limpiaré rápido el lavabo.

tahm-BYEHN leem-pyah-REH RAH-pee-doh el lah-VAH-boh. I will wipe the sink quickly too.

Eso ayuda a la siguiente persona.

EH-soh ah-YOO-dah ah lah see-GYEHN-teh pehr-SOH-nah. That helps the next person.

Word by Word

Puedo “Puedo” means “can I” in the question “¿Puedo usar este baño compartido?”. It is used to ask for permission or whether the speaker is able to do something; a common pattern is “Puedo” followed by an action.

usar “Usar” means “to use” in “¿Puedo usar este baño compartido?”. It names the action that the speaker is asking permission to do, and it follows “Puedo” in this sentence. Use it before the thing being used.

este “Este” means “this” and points to the bathroom being discussed in “este baño compartido”. It is placed before a noun to identify a nearby or specifically indicated thing, such as a bathroom the speaker can see or enter.

baño “Baño” means “bathroom” in “este baño compartido”. Here it identifies the shared room that the speaker wants to use. Use it when naming a bathroom in a location or access question.

compartido “Compartido” means “shared” and describes “baño” in “baño compartido”. It tells the listener that the bathroom is used by more than one person. It can be placed after a noun to describe a space or resource used by several people.

Puedes “Puedes” means “you can” in “Puedes usarlo”. Here it gives the other person permission to use the bathroom. Use it before an action to say that someone is allowed or able to do it.

usarlo “Usarlo” means “use it” in “Puedes usarlo”, referring to the shared bathroom. The form combines the action of using with “lo”, which points back to the bathroom. Use this pattern when the object of the action has already been identified.

y “Y” means “and” in “Puedes usarlo y, por favor, mantén limpia el área del lavabo”. It connects permission with the additional request about cleaning. Use it to join two related actions or statements.

por favor “Por favor” is the polite expression “please” in “por favor, mantén limpia el área del lavabo”. The components “por” and “favor” work together as one polite request expression, softening the instruction that follows. Use “por favor” with a request or command when speaking politely.

mantén “Mantén” tells the listener to keep or maintain something in a particular condition in “mantén limpia el área del lavabo”. Here it gives a direct request to preserve the sink area’s cleanliness. A useful pattern is “mantén” followed by an object and the condition it should remain in.

limpia “Limpia” means “clean” and describes the desired condition of “el área del lavabo”. In “mantén limpia el área del lavabo”, it says that the area should remain clean. It is placed with the object and the command to express the condition to maintain.

el “El” means “the” in “el área del lavabo” and identifies a specific sink area. It is used before a noun when the listener can identify the place being discussed. Here it introduces the particular area that should be kept clean.

área “Área” means “area” in “el área del lavabo”. It refers to the space around the sink rather than to the whole bathroom. A useful pattern is “área” followed by “del” and the place or object connected with that area.

del “Del” means “of the” in “área del lavabo”. It connects “área” with “lavabo”, showing that this is the area belonging to or associated with the sink. It is a contracted form used in the pattern noun + “del” + noun.

lavabo “Lavabo” means “sink” in “el área del lavabo” and later in “el lavabo”. Here it identifies the bathroom fixture and the space around it. Use it when referring to a sink in a bathroom or to something located near it.

Necesito “Necesito” means “I need” in “Necesito una toalla de papel”. It tells the listener that the speaker requires an item. Use it before the thing needed, as in “Necesito” followed by a noun.

una “Una” means “a” or “one” before the feminine noun “toalla” in “una toalla de papel”. It introduces one nonspecific towel. Use “una” before a singular feminine noun when referring to one item.

toalla “Toalla” means “towel” in “una toalla de papel”. The phrase specifies that this is a towel made of paper. Use it as the noun for a towel, followed by “de” when adding its material or type.

de “De” links “toalla” and “papel” in “toalla de papel”, indicating the material of the towel. A useful pattern is noun + “de” + material or type. Here it helps specify what kind of towel is needed.

papel “Papel” means “paper” in “toalla de papel”. It identifies the material of the towel rather than a separate object being requested. Use it after “de” to describe something made of paper.

Hay “Hay” means “there are” in “Hay algunas cerca del lavabo”. It introduces the existence or presence of paper towels near the sink. Use “Hay” before an item or quantity when telling someone that something is available or located somewhere.

algunas “Algunas” means “some” in “Hay algunas cerca del lavabo”, referring to some paper towels understood from the previous line. It indicates an unspecified number of those items. Use it when feminine plural items are understood or mentioned in the context.

cerca “Cerca” means “near” in “cerca del lavabo”. It locates the paper towels close to the sink. Use it to describe proximity, followed by a place or object that identifies what something is near.

Esto “Esto” means “this” in “¿Esto va a la basura?”. It points to the item the speaker is holding or considering. Use it to ask about or comment on a specific thing without naming it again.

va “Va” means “goes” in “¿Esto va a la basura?”. Here the question asks whether the item belongs in the trash or should be placed there. Use “va” with a destination phrase to ask where something should go.

a “A” means “to” or “into” in “a la basura”, marking the destination of the item. It appears after “va” when asking where something goes. A useful pattern is “va a” followed by a destination.

la “La” means “the” in “la basura” and identifies the specific destination, the trash. It is placed before the feminine noun “basura”. Use it before a known or specific feminine noun.

basura “Basura” means “trash” in “a la basura”. It names the place where the used paper towel may be discarded. Use it after a destination expression when referring to trash as a disposal location.

Ponlo “Ponlo” means “put it” in “Ponlo en el cubo pequeño”. It gives a direct instruction to place the item in the small bin, with “lo” referring to the item already being discussed. A useful pattern is “Ponlo en” followed by the container or place.

en “En” means “in” in “en el cubo pequeño”. It shows the location where the item should be placed. Use it after an action of placing something to introduce the container or location.

cubo “Cubo” means “bin” in “el cubo pequeño”. It identifies the small container for the paper towel. Use it when naming a bin or container, especially with a word that describes its size or other feature.

pequeño “Pequeño” means “small” in “cubo pequeño”. It describes the size of the bin and appears after the noun. Use it after a noun when describing a small object or container.

También “También” means “also” or “too” in “También limpiaré rápido el lavabo”. It adds cleaning the sink as another action the speaker will do. Use it before an action to connect it with something already mentioned.

limpiaré “Limpiaré” means “I will clean” or “I will wipe” in “limpiaré rápido el lavabo”. It announces the speaker’s planned cleaning of the sink. It comes before the object being cleaned, and the action can be modified by a word such as “rápido”.

rápido “Rápido” means “quickly” in “limpiaré rápido el lavabo”. It describes how the speaker will clean the sink, emphasizing that the action will take little time. It can follow an action to say that the action is done quickly.

Eso “Eso” means “that” in “Eso ayuda a la siguiente persona”. It refers back to the action of wiping the sink. Use it at the start of a sentence to comment on or evaluate an action just mentioned.

ayuda “Ayuda” means “helps” in “Eso ayuda a la siguiente persona”. It says that the cleaning action benefits someone else. A useful pattern is “ayuda a” followed by the person who benefits.

siguiente “Siguiente” means “next” in “la siguiente persona”. It identifies the person who will use the shared bathroom after the current speaker. Use it before “persona” or another noun to describe the next member in a sequence.

persona “Persona” means “person” in “la siguiente persona”. It refers to the individual who will use the bathroom next. Use it after a word that identifies or describes a particular individual, such as “siguiente” here.

Grammar Points

Imperativo afirmativo con pronombre: pon + lo

Ponlo.

POHN-loh.

Put it.

«Ponlo» combina el imperativo de poner con «lo», que significa «it» y funciona como objeto directo.

Futuro simple en primera persona: limpiaré

Limpiaré.

leem-pyah-REH.

I will clean.

La terminación «-é» indica futuro en la primera persona singular: «yo limpiaré».

Spanish Vocabulary

área noun

AH-reh-ah area

Please keep the sink area clean.

baño noun

BAH-nyoh bathroom

Can I use this shared bathroom?

cerca adv

SEHR-kah near

There are some near the sink.

compartido adj

kohm-par-TEE-doh shared

Can I use this shared bathroom?

haber verb

ah-BEHR there is; there are Hay

There are some near the sink.

lavabo noun

lah-VAH-boh sink

Please keep the sink area clean.

limpio adj

LEEM-pyoh clean limpia

Please keep the sink area clean.

mantener verb

mahn-teh-NEHR to keep mantén

Please keep the sink area clean.

necesitar verb

neh-seh-see-TAR to need Necesito

I need a paper towel.

poder verb

poh-DEHR can; to be able to Puedo

Can I use this shared bathroom?

toalla de papel phrase

toh-AH-yah deh pah-PEHL paper towel una toalla de papel

I need a paper towel.

usar verb

oo-SAR to use

Can I use this shared bathroom?

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Can I use this shared bathroom?

Show Answer

¿Puedo usar este baño compartido?

I need a paper towel.

Show Answer

Necesito una toalla de papel.

There are some near the sink.

Show Answer

Hay algunas cerca del lavabo.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to use

Show Answer

usar

shared

Show Answer

compartido

to need

Show Answer

Necesito

can; to be able to

Show Answer

Puedo