About This Lesson
Use Borrowing cleaning supplies from a neighbor to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
¿Puedo usar un poco de limpiador en aerosol?
PWEH-doh oo-SAR oon POH-koh deh leem-pyah-DOR en ah-eh-roh-SOHL? Can I use some cleaning spray?
B
Está debajo del fregadero. ¿Se derramó algo?
ehs-TAH deh-BAH-hoh del freh-gah-DEH-roh. Seh deh-rrah-MOH AHL-goh? It is under the sink. Did something spill?
A
Se derramó jugo en el suelo de la cocina.
Seh deh-rrah-MOH HOO-goh en el SWEH-loh deh lah koh-SEE-nah. Juice spilled on the kitchen floor.
B
Lleva también el cubo pequeño para que puedas enjuagar la mopa.
YEH-bah tahm-BYEN el KOO-boh peh-KEH-nyoh PAH-rah keh PWEH-dahs en-HWAH-GAR lah MOH-pah. Take the small bucket too, so you can rinse the mop.
A
Eso ayuda. Te devolveré los dos cuando termine.
EH-soh ah-YOO-dah. Teh deh-bol-beh-REH lohs DOHS KWAHN-doh tehr-MEE-neh. That helps. I will bring both back when I finish.
B
Déjalos junto a mi puerta cuando todo esté seco.
DEH-hah-lohs HOON-toh ah mee PWEHR-tah KWAHN-doh TOH-doh ehs-TEH SEH-koh. Leave them by my door once everything is dry.
A
Te agradezco la ayuda con este desorden.
Teh ah-grah-DEHS-koh lah ah-YOO-dah kohn EHS-teh deh-sohr-DEN. I appreciate your help with this mess.
B
Solo asegúrate de que el suelo no esté resbaladizo después.
SOH-loh ah-seh-GOO-rah-teh deh keh el SWEH-loh noh ehs-TEH rehs-bah-lah-DEE-soh dehs-PWEHS. Just make sure the floor is not slippery afterward.Word by Word
Puedo
In «¿Puedo usar un poco de limpiador en aerosol?», «Puedo» asks whether the speaker is allowed or able to do something. It is a form of poder; a reusable pattern is «¿Puedo» + infinitive? when asking permission.
usar
In «¿Puedo usar un poco de limpiador en aerosol?», «usar» means to use, and it follows «Puedo». Use «usar» before the thing or resource you want to use.
un
In «un poco de limpiador en aerosol», «un» helps form the expression for a small amount. The whole phrase «un poco de» means “a little” before a noun, as in «un poco de agua» in a new example.
poco
In «un poco de limpiador en aerosol», «poco» refers to a small amount. The reusable pattern «un poco de» is used before a substance or other uncounted thing.
de
In «un poco de limpiador», «de» connects the amount «un poco» with what is being measured. It is also used in location phrases such as «debajo del fregadero».
limpiador
In «limpiador en aerosol», «limpiador» means cleaning product or cleaner. It names the item being requested, and a reusable pattern is «limpiador» + a description of its form or use.
en
In «limpiador en aerosol», «en» forms the expression for a product in spray or aerosol form. It can also introduce a location, as in «en la cocina» in a new example.
aerosol
In «limpiador en aerosol», «aerosol» identifies the cleaner as a spray product. The full expression «limpiador en aerosol» means cleaning spray.
Está
In «Está debajo del fregadero», «Está» says where the cleaner is located. It is a form of estar; «está» + a location is a common way to say where something is.
debajo
In «debajo del fregadero», «debajo» means underneath or below. Use «debajo de» before the thing that is above the object.
del
In «debajo del fregadero», «del» links the location to «el fregadero» and means “of the” in this phrase. It is the fixed combination used in «debajo del».
fregadero
In «debajo del fregadero», «fregadero» means sink. It is used with «el» in this dialogue, and «debajo del fregadero» is a reusable location phrase.
Se
In «¿Se derramó algo?» and «Se derramó jugo», «Se» presents the spilling event without naming a person who caused it. The pattern «se» + a form of «derramar» is useful when the spilled thing is more important than the actor.
derramó
In «Se derramó jugo», «derramó» says that the juice spilled. It is a past form related to «derramar», and «se derramó» is used for a completed spill.
algo
In «¿Se derramó algo?», «algo» means something unspecified. Use «algo» when asking whether an unidentified thing happened or was involved.
jugo
In «Se derramó jugo», «jugo» means juice. It names the liquid that spilled, and it can follow a verb such as «derramarse» to say what spilled.
el
In «el suelo», «el» introduces the specific noun “floor.” It is also part of «del» in «debajo del fregadero».
suelo
In «el suelo de la cocina», «suelo» means floor. The reusable pattern «el suelo de» identifies the floor of a particular place.
la
In «la cocina», «la» introduces the specific noun “kitchen.” It also appears in «la ayuda» and «la mopa» before other nouns in the dialogue.
cocina
In «el suelo de la cocina», «cocina» means kitchen. The phrase «de la cocina» specifies which floor is meant.
Lleva
In «Lleva también el cubo pequeño», «Lleva» is a direct request to take or carry something. It is related to «llevar»; use «Lleva» + an object when telling one person to take it.
también
In «Lleva también el cubo pequeño», «también» adds the bucket to what the speaker has already suggested taking. It commonly means “also” or “too” and can appear before the added item or action.
cubo
In «el cubo pequeño», «cubo» means bucket. It is the object of «Lleva», and «cubo» can be followed by an adjective describing its size or condition.
pequeño
In «el cubo pequeño», «pequeño» describes the bucket as small. It follows «cubo» here; a reusable pattern is a noun followed by an adjective such as «cubo pequeño».
para
In «para que puedas enjuagar la mopa», «para» introduces the purpose of taking the bucket. The pattern «para que» connects an action with the result or purpose it is meant to support.
que
In «para que puedas enjuagar la mopa», «que» connects the purpose phrase to the action that should become possible. The whole connector «para que» means “so that” in this dialogue.
puedas
In «para que puedas enjuagar la mopa», «puedas» expresses that the listener will be able to rinse the mop. It is related to «poder» and appears after «para que» in this purpose clause.
enjuagar
In «puedas enjuagar la mopa», «enjuagar» means to rinse. It follows «puedas» and names the action the listener will be able to perform.
mopa
In «enjuagar la mopa», «mopa» means mop. It is the object being rinsed, and a reusable pattern is «enjuagar» + the item that needs rinsing.
Eso
In «Eso ayuda», «Eso» refers back to the help or items just offered and means “that.” Use «Eso» to point back to something already mentioned.
ayuda
In «Eso ayuda», «ayuda» says that the offered assistance is useful. It is related to «ayudar»; «eso ayuda» is a simple way to say that something helps.
Te
In «Te devolveré los dos», «Te» identifies the person who will receive the returned items: “to you.” It commonly appears before a verb when the action is directed toward someone.
devolveré
In «Te devolveré los dos», «devolveré» means “I will return” the two items. It is related to «devolver» and can be used with the item returned and the person receiving it.
los
In «los dos», «los» helps refer to the two specific items already mentioned. The whole phrase «los dos» means “both of them” here.
dos
In «los dos», «dos» identifies the number of items that will be returned: two. The phrase «los dos» refers to both previously mentioned objects.
cuando
In «cuando termine», «cuando» introduces the time when the speaker will return the items. Use «cuando» before an event that sets the time for another action.
termine
In «cuando termine», «termine» means “I finish,” referring to finishing the cleaning. The pattern «cuando» + an action can state when another action will happen.
Déjalos
In «Déjalos junto a mi puerta», «Déjalos» tells one person to leave the items there. It combines the request to leave with «los», meaning the previously mentioned items.
junto
In «junto a mi puerta», «junto» means beside or next to. The complete location pattern is «junto a» + a place or object.
a
In «junto a mi puerta», «a» completes the location expression «junto a» and identifies what the items should be next to. Use «junto a» to describe a nearby position.
mi
In «mi puerta», «mi» means my and identifies the door as belonging to the speaker. It comes directly before the noun it describes.
puerta
In «mi puerta», «puerta» means door. It is the reference point in the location phrase «junto a mi puerta».
todo
In «cuando todo esté seco», «todo» means everything, referring to the cleaned area or the relevant things as a whole. Use «todo» when referring collectively to all of something already understood.
esté
In «cuando todo esté seco», «esté» describes the condition that everything must reach: being dry. It is related to «estar» and is used with a state or condition such as «seco».
seco
In «todo esté seco», «seco» means dry and describes the condition of everything after the cleaning. It can be used after a form of «estar» to describe a temporary condition.
agradezco
In «Te agradezco la ayuda», «agradezco» expresses that the speaker appreciates or thanks someone for help. It is related to «agradecer»; a reusable pattern is «agradecer» + «la ayuda» or another thing received.
con
In «la ayuda con este desorden», «con» connects the help with the problem it concerns. It commonly means “with” and can introduce the task or situation being helped with.
este
In «este desorden», «este» points to the particular mess present in the situation and means “this.” It appears directly before the noun it identifies.
desorden
In «este desorden», «desorden» means mess or disorder. It names the untidy situation caused by the spill and cleaning.
Solo
In «Solo asegúrate de que el suelo no esté resbaladizo», «Solo» softens the instruction to one final point: just make sure of this. It can introduce a limited request or reminder.
asegúrate
In «asegúrate de que el suelo no esté resbaladizo», «asegúrate» tells one person to make sure of something. The reusable pattern is «asegúrate de que» + a statement or condition to check.
no
In «no esté resbaladizo», «no» makes the condition negative: the floor must not be slippery. It normally comes directly before the verb or expression being negated.
resbaladizo
In «el suelo no esté resbaladizo», «resbaladizo» means slippery and describes a floor that could make someone slip. It can follow «estar» when describing the floor’s condition.
después
In «no esté resbaladizo después», «después» means afterward, referring to the time after cleaning. It can be placed at the end of a sentence to indicate when the result should be checked.
Grammar Points
para que + subjuntivo
para que puedas enjuagar
PAH-rah keh PWEH-dahs en-HWAH-GARso that you can rinse
After para que, Spanish uses the subjunctive: puedas expresses a desired purpose or result.
Spanish Vocabulary
algo
pron
AHL-goh
something
¿Se derramó algo?
cocina
noun
koh-SEE-nah
kitchen
Se derramó jugo en el suelo de la cocina.
debajo de
prep
deh-BAH-hoh deh
under / beneath
Está debajo del fregadero.
está
verb
ehs-TAH
is
Está debajo del fregadero.
fregadero
noun
freh-gah-DEH-roh
sink
Está debajo del fregadero.
jugo
noun
HOO-goh
juice
Se derramó jugo en el suelo de la cocina.
limpiador en aerosol
phrase
leem-pyah-DOR en ah-eh-roh-SOHL
cleaning spray
¿Puedo usar un poco de limpiador en aerosol?
puedo
verb
PWEH-doh
can / am able to
¿Puedo usar un poco de limpiador en aerosol?
se derramó
verb
seh deh-rrah-MOH
spilled
¿Se derramó algo?
suelo
noun
SWEH-loh
floor
Se derramó jugo en el suelo de la cocina.
un poco de
phrase
oon POH-koh deh
some / a little
¿Puedo usar un poco de limpiador en aerosol?
usar
verb
oo-SAR
to use
¿Puedo usar un poco de limpiador en aerosol?
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
to use
Show Answer
usarsink
Show Answer
fregaderocan / am able to
Show Answer
puedosomething