A fair cleaning routine | Learn Spanish in English

Sentence explanations

1. Nuestra rutina de limpieza no funciona y la cocina sigue estando desordenada.

   Our cleaning routine is not working, and the kitchen keeps getting messy.

   Nuestra

   our

   rutina

   routine

   limpieza

   cleaning

   funciona

   works

   cocina

   kitchen

   sigue estando

   is still

   desordenada

   messy

   More detail

   Nuestra means “our” here. It is the feminine-singular form agreeing with rutina, not with the number of owners. The related forms are nuestro with a masculine singular noun, nuestros with a masculine plural noun, and nuestras with a feminine plural noun. rutina is a feminine singular noun meaning a routine or regular procedure. Its plural is rutinas. limpieza is a feminine noun meaning cleaning or cleanliness. In rutina de limpieza, the de phrase identifies the routine’s activity: “cleaning routine.” The noun is not being used as an adjective; Spanish commonly uses de to connect a noun with the activity or type that characterizes another noun. funciona is the third-person singular present form of funcionar, “to work” or “to function.” The subject here is singular rutina, so funciona is used. The negative word no makes the statement “does not work”: La rutina funciona means “The routine works,” while La rutina no funciona means “The routine does not work.” cocina is a feminine singular noun meaning “kitchen.” Its plural is cocinas. sigue estando combines seguir with estando, the gerund of estar. Together, seguir + gerund expresses continuation: sigue estando means “continues to be” or, naturally in this context, “keeps being.” It is not the same as saying that a new change is definitely happening; it emphasizes that the state continues. The subject of sigue is singular la cocina. desordenada means “messy” or “untidy” here. It is the feminine singular form of the adjective desordenado, agreeing with la cocina. For a masculine singular noun, use desordenado; for plural nouns, use desordenados or desordenadas according to grammatical gender. The adjective describes the kitchen’s state after estar. Putting the parts together, Nuestra rutina de limpieza means “our cleaning routine.” no funciona says that this routine is not working, and la cocina sigue estando desordenada says that the kitchen continues to be messy. The conjunction y joins the two facts, giving the complete meaning: “Our cleaning routine is not working, and the kitchen keeps getting messy.”

2. No creo que ninguno de los dos lo haga a propósito.

   I do not think either of us is doing it on purpose.

   No creo que

   I don’t think

   ninguno de los dos

   neither of the two

   lo

   it

   haga

   does

   a propósito

   on purpose

   More detail

   No creo que introduces the speaker’s negative opinion: “I don’t think that …”. creo is the first-person singular present form of creer. In this pattern, the negated expression No creo que is followed by the present subjunctive. This is reusable as No creo que + subjunctive. Example: No creo que llegue tarde. — “I don’t think he/she will arrive late.” ninguno de los dos means “neither of the two” here; the fixed translation identifies the two people as including the speaker: “either of us.” ninguno is singular, so the verb referring to this phrase is singular. Example: Ninguno de los dos tiene la llave. — “Neither of the two has the key.” lo is a singular direct-object pronoun meaning “it” here. Its specific referent is not named in the supplied sentence. In this context, it can refer neutrally to the thing or matter being done, so do not assume that it refers to a masculine noun. For a clearly identified masculine singular noun, Spanish uses lo; for a clearly identified feminine singular noun, la; plural nouns take los or las. Example: No lo hago a propósito. — “I don’t do it on purpose.” haga is the third-person singular present subjunctive form of hacer, “to do/make.” Its singular form agrees with ninguno, and the subjunctive fits the preceding pattern No creo que. In another context, haga can also be the formal singular affirmative command addressed to usted, but it is not a command in this sentence. Example: No creo que ella lo haga hoy. — “I don’t think she will do it today.” a propósito is an idiomatic adverbial expression meaning “on purpose” or “deliberately.” It describes intention. Putting the parts together: No creo que + ninguno de los dos + lo haga + a propósito means “I don’t think either of us is doing it on purpose.” The sentence presents this as the speaker’s negative belief, identifies the two people as the possible doers, refers to an unspecified action or matter with lo, and says that the action is not intentional.

3. Quizás necesitamos una norma más clara, especialmente para los platos y la cocina.

   Maybe we need a clearer standard, especially for dishes and the stove.

   Quizás

   Maybe

   necesitamos

   we need

   norma

   standard

   más clara

   clearer

   especialmente

   especially

   platos

   dishes

   cocina

   stove

   More detail

   Quizás means “maybe” and marks uncertainty about the statement that follows. It commonly appears with either the indicative or the subjunctive, depending on how the speaker presents the possibility; here necesitamos is the present indicative. Example: Quizás llega mañana. — “Maybe he/she arrives tomorrow.” necesitamos is the first-person plural present form of necesitar, “to need”: necesito = “I need,” necesitamos = “we need.” The ending -mos identifies “we.” Example: Necesitamos más tiempo. — “We need more time.” norma is a feminine singular noun meaning “standard” or “rule.” The phrase una norma uses the feminine singular indefinite article una; the article does not by itself assert a numerical count here. Example: La norma es sencilla. — “The rule is simple.” más clara is the comparative “clearer.” The adjective is clara, the feminine singular form of claro, and it agrees with the feminine singular noun norma; más makes the comparison. The useful pattern is más + adjective: más claro for a masculine singular noun and más clara for a feminine singular noun. Example: Necesitamos una explicación más clara. — “We need a clearer explanation.” especialmente means “especially” and highlights the part that is particularly relevant. It does not replace the broader statement: the need for a clearer standard applies generally, with special attention to what follows. Example: Me gusta la comida, especialmente la sopa. — “I like the food, especially the soup.” platos is the plural of plato, “dish” or “plate.” Here the fixed translation supports the meaning “dishes,” referring to dish-related matters rather than using the singular form. The plural ending -s follows the vowel-ending singular noun: plato → platos. Example: Los platos están limpios. — “The dishes are clean.” cocina is a feminine singular noun. In this sentence, the fixed translation identifies the intended sense as “stove”; in other contexts, cocina can mean “kitchen” or “cooking,” so the surrounding meaning determines the sense. The article la agrees with this feminine singular noun. Example: La cocina está encendida. — “The stove is on.” The phrase para los platos y la cocina means “for dishes and the stove.” para introduces the areas or things to which the standard is relevant; y joins the two coordinated nouns. Thus necesitamos una norma más clara gives the main statement, and especialmente para los platos y la cocina specifies where that clearer standard is especially needed. Together, the utterance means: “Maybe we need a clearer standard, especially for dishes and the stove.”

4. Podríamos turnarnos las tareas cada semana para que la misma persona no tenga que fregar el suelo siempre.

   We could rotate tasks weekly, so the same person does not always mop.

   Podríamos

   we could

   turnarnos

   take turns

   tareas

   tasks

   cada semana

   every week

   misma

   same

   persona

   person

   para que

   so that

   tenga que

   has to

   fregar

   mop

   suelo

   floor

   siempre

   always

   More detail

   Podríamos is the first-person plural conditional of poder: podemos = “we can,” while podríamos = “we could.” It presents the proposal as a possibility rather than a definite plan. With an infinitive, the pattern is podríamos + infinitive: Podríamos descansar. = “We could rest.” turnarnos means “to take turns.” It is the infinitive turnar with the attached pronoun nos; in this use, the pronominal verb turnarse expresses taking turns among the people involved. With podríamos, the pronoun remains attached to the infinitive: Podríamos turnarnos. = “We could take turns.” tareas is the plural of tarea, “task.” The plural article or adjective would agree with it when present: las tareas. Here it refers to the household tasks being distributed, consistent with the surrounding discussion. cada semana means “every week.” cada introduces a repeating unit and stays singular: cada día = “every day,” not a plural form of `cada.” misma is the feminine singular form of mismo, “same.” It agrees with persona, not with the speaker: la misma persona = “the same person.” Other forms include mismo, misma, mismos, and mismas, chosen to agree with the noun they modify. persona means “person.” It is grammatically feminine in Spanish, so the adjective is misma even when the person’s actual gender is not specified. This grammatical agreement does not identify a particular individual. para que introduces a purpose clause, “so that.” It is followed here by the subjunctive because the clause expresses the intended result of the proposed arrangement. A reusable pattern is para que + subjunctive: Lo repito para que todos entiendan. = “I repeat it so that everyone understands.” tenga que combines the subjunctive form tenga of tener with que and an infinitive. tener que + infinitive expresses obligation: tiene que salir = “has to leave.” Here tenga is third-person singular and agrees with la misma persona; the subjunctive is required by the purpose clause: para que ... tenga que .... fregar is an infinitive meaning “to scrub or mop,” and here it refers to mopping the floor. Its infinitive form follows tener que: Tiene que fregar. = “He or she has to mop.” suelo means “floor” in this context. The phrase fregar el suelo is a common combination meaning “to mop the floor” or “to scrub the floor,” depending on the cleaning method and context. el identifies the floor as the relevant one in the situation. siempre means “always,” placing the repeated action across the relevant occasions. In no tenga que fregar ... siempre, it contributes the meaning “does not always have to mop,” rather than changing the obligation into a one-time event. Together, Podríamos turnarnos las tareas cada semana proposes rotating the tasks each week. para que la misma persona no tenga que fregar el suelo siempre gives the purpose: the arrangement is intended to prevent one person from always being the one who has to mop the floor. The complete meaning is: “We could rotate tasks weekly, so the same person does not always mop.”

5. Me parece justo, aunque prefiero sacar la basura a limpiar el baño.

   That sounds fair, although I prefer taking out the trash to cleaning the bathroom.

   Me parece

   It seems to me

   justo

   fair

   aunque

   although

   prefiero … a

   prefer X to Y

   sacar

   take out

   la basura

   the trash

   limpiar

   clean

   el baño

   the bathroom

   More detail

   Me parece uses parecer in the present: parece is the third-person singular form, while me marks the person to whom the impression occurs. Together, the pattern me parece + adjective means “it seems ... to me.” Example: Me parece útil. — “It seems useful to me.” justo means “fair” here. It is the masculine singular form of the adjective justo; in this expression, it evaluates the implicitly understood arrangement or proposal as fair. The sentence does not state a separate noun for the adjective to modify. Example: El acuerdo me parece justo. — “The agreement seems fair to me.” aunque introduces a concession: the speaker accepts or acknowledges the first point, then adds a qualification. It means “although,” not “instead of.” Example: Aunque es tarde, seguimos. — “Although it is late, we continue.” prefiero ... a ... is a reusable Spanish pattern for preferring one option to another. prefiero is the first-person singular present form of preferir, “to prefer”; the subject is “I.” The a introduces the option that is less preferred in this comparison. Example: Prefiero caminar a conducir. — “I prefer walking to driving.” sacar is an infinitive meaning “to take out” here. In sacar la basura, it describes the task of taking the trash out. The infinitive is useful after preference expressions when naming an activity. Example: Prefiero sacar al perro. — “I prefer taking the dog out.” la basura means “the trash.” basura is a feminine singular noun, shown by the article la; the article is not a numeric statement. Example: La basura está llena. — “The trash is full.” limpiar is an infinitive meaning “to clean.” Here it names the alternative activity in the preference comparison. Its form stays infinitive because it follows the same activity-comparison pattern. Example: Necesito limpiar. — “I need to clean.” el baño means “the bathroom.” baño is a masculine singular noun, shown by el. In this sentence it is the place being cleaned. Example: El baño está limpio. — “The bathroom is clean.” Putting the parts together, Me parece justo evaluates the arrangement as fair to the speaker. aunque then adds a concession, and prefiero sacar la basura a limpiar el baño states the speaker’s personal preference: taking out the trash is preferred to cleaning the bathroom. The complete meaning is: “That sounds fair, although I prefer taking out the trash to cleaning the bathroom.”

6. Las preferencias están bien, pero las tareas desagradables todavía tenemos que compartirlas.

   Preferences are fine, but the unpleasant jobs still need to be shared.

   preferencias

   preferences

   están bien

   are fine

   pero

   but

   tareas

   jobs; tasks

   desagradables

   unpleasant

   todavía

   still

   tenemos que

   we have to

   compartirlas

   share them

   More detail

   preferencias means “preferences” here. It is the plural of preferencia; the ending -as marks feminine plural in this noun. Example: Mis preferencias han cambiado. — “My preferences have changed.” están bien says that the preferences are acceptable or fine. Están is the third-person plural present form of estar, agreeing with plural preferencias; bien describes their state. This is different from son buenas, which more directly evaluates them as good rather than saying they are fine or acceptable. pero introduces a contrast: the first point remains valid, and the following point adds a limitation or different consideration. It does not replace the first point. tareas means “tasks” or, in this context, “jobs” that need to be dealt with. It is the plural of tarea, a feminine noun. Example: Tenemos varias tareas. — “We have several tasks.” desagradables means “unpleasant.” It is the plural form of desagradable, agreeing with plural tareas. This adjective has the same form for masculine and feminine singular, and likewise the same plural form for both genders: un trabajo desagradable, una tarea desagradable, trabajos desagradables, tareas desagradables. todavía means “still,” indicating that the situation continues at this point. Example: Todavía queda trabajo. — “There is still work left.” tenemos que is the reusable pattern tener que + infinitive, meaning “have to” or “need to.” Tenemos is the first-person plural present form of tener, so the understood subject is “we”; que links it to the required action. Example: Tenemos que hablar. — “We have to talk.” compartirlas combines the infinitive compartir, “to share,” with the attached direct-object pronoun las, “them.” Las is feminine plural here, matching tareas desagradables. The infinitive remains compartir; attaching the pronoun does not change its meaning. Example: Tenemos que repartirlas. — “We have to distribute them.” The sentence first presents the preferences as acceptable: Las preferencias están bien. Pero then contrasts that with the continuing obligation: todavía tenemos que compartirlas, “we still have to share them.” The fronted noun phrase las tareas desagradables identifies what las refers back to, while the clitic repeats that direct object in the clause, a common Spanish structure. Together, the utterance means: “Preferences are fine, but the unpleasant jobs still need to be shared.”

7. Si lo escribimos, podemos evitar que el resentimiento se acumule más adelante.

   If we write it down, we can keep resentment from building up later.

   Si

   if

   lo escribimos

   we write it down

   podemos

   we can

   evitar

   prevent; keep from

   el resentimiento

   resentment

   se acumule

   build up

   más adelante

   later on

   More detail

   Si introduces a condition: “if.” Here it is followed by the present form escribimos, and the result clause also uses the present form podemos. The pattern si + present, present can describe a real or proposed condition and its result. lo escribimos means “we write it down.” escribimos is the first-person plural form of escribir (“to write”); in this sentence, the conditional-result structure gives it a present, proposed meaning. The same written form can also be the first-person plural preterite (“we wrote”), so context is important. lo is a direct-object pronoun; its form can represent a masculine singular referent or a neuter “it.” The supplied sentence does not identify exactly what “it” refers to. In escribirlo, the same pronoun attaches to the infinitive: “to write it down.” podemos is the first-person plural present form of poder (“to be able to; can”). poder + infinitive expresses ability or possibility: podemos evitar means “we can prevent/keep from.” evitar is the infinitive “to avoid” or “to prevent.” With evitar que, Spanish commonly introduces an event that someone wants to prevent: evitar que + clause. Example: Hay que evitar que el agua se derrame. — “We have to prevent the water from spilling.” el resentimiento means “resentment.” resentimiento is a masculine singular noun, so it appears with el here. The definite article presents the noun as contextually identified or understood; it does not by itself state a numeric count. se acumule means “build up” here. The base verb is acumularse, “to accumulate/build up”; se belongs to this pronominal use. acumule is the third-person singular present subjunctive form, matching the third-person singular subject el resentimiento in number and person. The subjunctive appears because the clause names the event being prevented after evitar que. Example: Evitemos que la tensión se acumule. — “Let’s prevent tension from building up.” más adelante means “later on” or “further down the line.” It places the accumulation at a later time without specifying exactly when. Together, Si lo escribimos sets the condition: “If we write it down.” podemos evitar gives the ability or practical result: “we can prevent/keep from.” que el resentimiento se acumule más adelante identifies what is to be prevented and when: “resentment from building up later.” The complete meaning is: “If we write it down, we can keep resentment from building up later.”

8. Hagamos una tabla sencilla y revisémosla después de probarla durante un tiempo.

   Let's make a simple chart and review it after we try it for a while.

   Hagamos

   let’s make

   tabla

   chart

   sencilla

   simple

   revisémosla

   let’s review it

   después de

   after

   probarla

   try it

   durante

   during

   tiempo

   time

   More detail

   Hagamos is the first-person plural form used here for an exhortation: “let’s make.” It invites the speaker and others to act together. The same form can also appear in other subjunctive uses, so its request-like meaning comes from this sentence’s context. Example: Hagamos una pausa. — “Let’s take a break.” tabla means “chart” here. Its base form is the feminine noun tabla; the article and adjective around it agree with that grammatical gender: una tabla sencilla. Example: La tabla muestra los resultados. — “The chart shows the results.” sencilla describes tabla, so it uses the feminine singular form sencilla. The adjective’s base form is sencillo; sencilla is its feminine singular form. Example: una explicación sencilla — “a simple explanation.” revisémosla means “let’s review it.” It combines the first-person plural exhortative form revisemos with the attached direct-object pronoun la. Here la refers to the chart, la tabla, and its feminine singular form agrees with that noun. The written accent in revisémosla preserves the stress when the pronoun is attached. Example: Revisémosla mañana. — “Let’s review it tomorrow.” después de introduces an action that happens later than another action. It is followed here by the infinitive probarla, rather than a conjugated verb. Example: Después de comer, caminamos. — “After eating, we walk.” probarla means “to try it” in this sentence. Its base verb is probar, “to try,” and la is the feminine singular direct-object pronoun referring to the chart. The pronoun is attached to the infinitive, as in probarla; it is not part of the verb’s base form. Example: Vamos a probarla hoy. — “We are going to try it today.” durante marks the span of time over which an action continues. Here it introduces un tiempo, meaning “a while” or “a period of time.” Example: Trabajó durante dos horas. — “He or she worked for two hours.” tiempo means “time” here, specifically an unspecified period in un tiempo. It is a masculine noun, as shown by un; the phrase does not specify an exact duration. Example: Necesitamos más tiempo. — “We need more time.” Together, Hagamos una tabla sencilla proposes that the group make a simple chart. y revisémosla adds a second joint action, with la referring back to that chart. después de probarla durante un tiempo places the review after the group has tried using the chart for a while. The whole utterance therefore means: “Let’s make a simple chart and review it after we try it for a while.”

9. Si parece demasiado estricta, podemos ajustarla en vez de discutir.

   If it feels too strict, we can adjust it instead of arguing.

   Si

   if

   parece

   seems; feels

   demasiado

   too

   estricta

   strict

   podemos

   we can

   ajustarla

   adjust it

   en vez de

   instead of

   discutir

   argue; discuss

   More detail

   Si introduces a condition: “if.” It links the situation in this clause to the possible action in the main clause. A reusable pattern is si + clause, clause: Si funciona, lo usamos. — “If it works, we use it.” parece is the third-person singular present form of parecer, “to seem” or “to appear.” Here, with the fixed translation, it presents the thing as seeming too strict rather than stating this as an objective fact. Parecer can also be followed by an adjective: La regla parece clara. — “The rule seems clear.” demasiado means “too” in the sense of more than is desirable or suitable. It modifies estricta, so demasiado estricta means “too strict.” Do not confuse this use with muy (“very”): muy estricta means “very strict,” while demasiado estricta adds the idea that the degree is excessive. estricta is the feminine singular form of the adjective estricto, “strict.” Its feminine singular ending agrees with the feminine singular thing being described; the form itself does not identify that thing more specifically. The main forms are estricto (masculine singular), estricta (feminine singular), estrictos (masculine plural or mixed plural), and estrictas (feminine plural). For example, Las normas son estrictas. — “The rules are strict.” podemos is the first-person plural present form of poder, “can” or “be able to.” With an infinitive, podemos ajustar means “we can adjust.” The ending identifies “we”; it does not mean that the action has already happened. Podemos cambiarlo. — “We can change it.” ajustarla combines the infinitive ajustar, “to adjust,” with the attached direct-object pronoun la. Ajustar is the reusable verb, while la is feminine singular and refers to the item being adjusted as “it” in the fixed translation. The same pronoun is written separately before a conjugated verb: La podemos ajustar. — “We can adjust it.” en vez de is a fixed comparison or replacement expression meaning “instead of.” Before an infinitive, the pattern is en vez de + infinitive: En vez de esperar, actuamos. — “Instead of waiting, we act.” Here it introduces the alternative action, without denying or reversing the possibility of adjustment. discutir is the infinitive “to argue” or “to discuss.” In this sentence, the fixed translation selects the sense “argue.” After en vez de, the infinitive names the action that is not chosen: en vez de discutir — “instead of arguing.” Together, Si parece demasiado estricta means “If it seems too strict.” Podemos ajustarla means “we can adjust it,” with la marking the feminine singular direct object. En vez de discutir gives the alternative being avoided: “instead of arguing.” The whole utterance therefore means: “If it feels too strict, we can adjust it instead of arguing.”

10. El objetivo es tener una casa más limpia, no un sistema perfecto.

    The goal is a cleaner home, not a perfect system.

    objetivo

    goal

    tener

    to have

    casa

    home; house

    más limpia

    cleaner

    sistema

    system

    perfecto

    perfect

    More detail

    objetivo means “goal” here. It is a masculine noun: el objetivo; its plural is los objetivos. In the pattern El objetivo es..., what follows es states the goal’s content. tener is the infinitive “to have.” After es, the infinitive names the action or situation that constitutes the goal. Useful present forms include tengo (“I have”), tienes (“you have”), and tiene (“he/she/you formal has”); these forms are irregular compared with the infinitive. casa means “house” or “home.” It is feminine, as shown by una casa. Example: Quiero tener una casa. — “I want to have a house/home.” más limpia means “cleaner.” limpia is the feminine singular form of the adjective limpio, agreeing with casa; más makes the comparative. The reusable pattern is más + adjective, as in una habitación más grande — “a larger room.” sistema means “system.” It is a masculine noun: un sistema; the plural is sistemas. Its grammatical gender is shown here by the masculine article un and the adjective form perfecto. perfecto means “perfect.” It is the masculine singular form of perfecto, agreeing with sistema. Example: El sistema no tiene que ser perfecto. — “The system does not have to be perfect.” Together, El objetivo es tener una casa más limpia says “The goal is to have a cleaner home.” The contrast no un sistema perfecto adds that the goal is not a perfect system: no negates this second noun phrase, while un introduces it without by itself asserting a numerical count. The complete utterance therefore means, “The goal is a cleaner home, not a perfect system.”