About This Lesson
Use Cleaning and resetting a shared room to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
La sala común se ve desordenada después del evento.
lah SAH-lah koh-MOON seh beh deh-sohr-deh-NAH-dah dehs-PWEHS dehl eh-BEHN-toh The common room looks messy after the event.
B
Tenemos que limpiarla porque la reservamos.
teh-NEH-mohs keh leem-PYAR-lah POHR-keh lah reh-sehr-BAH-mohs We need to clean it because we reserved it.
A
Usemos una lista de verificación para no olvidar nada.
oo-SEH-mohs OO-nah LEES-tah deh beh-ree-fee-kah-SYOHN pah-rah noh ohl-bee-DAHR NAH-dah Let's use a checklist so we don't miss anything.
B
Yo puedo recoger la basura y tú puedes volver a poner las sillas.
yoh PWEH-doh reh-koh-HEHR lah bah-SOO-rah ee too PWEH-dehs bohl-BEHR ah poh-NEHR lahs SEE-yahs I can collect the trash, and you can put the chairs back.
A
¿Deberíamos volver a poner las mesas como estaban?
deh-beh-RYAH-mohs bohl-BEHR ah poh-NEHR lahs MEH-sahs KOH-moh ehs-TAH-bahn Should the tables go back the way they were?
B
El próximo grupo esperará que todo esté dispuesto como siempre.
ehl PROHK-see-moh GROO-poh ehs-peh-rah-RAH keh TOH-doh ehs-TEH dees-PWEHS-toh KOH-moh SYEHMP-reh The next group will expect the usual setup.
A
Yo también comprobaré si alguien se dejó algún objeto personal.
yoh tahm-BYEHN kohm-proh-bah-REH see ahl-GYEHN seh deh-HOH ahl-GOON ohb-HEH-toh pehr-soh-NAHL I'll also check whether anyone left personal items behind.
B
Es fácil olvidarse de los cargadores y los cuadernos.
ehs fah-SEEL ohl-bee-DAHR-seh deh lohs kahr-gah-DOH-rehs ee lohs kwah-DEHR-nohs Chargers and notebooks are easy to forget.
A
La sala ya parece lista.
lah SAH-lah yah pah-REH-seh LEES-tah The room looks ready now.
B
Dejarla limpia debería hacer más fácil volver a reservarla.
deh-HAHR-lah LEEM-pyah deh-beh-RYAH ah-SEHR mahs fah-SEEL bohl-BEHR ah reh-sehr-BAHR-lah Leaving it clean should make it easier to book again.Word by Word
La
La means “the” in La sala común, referring to the feminine noun sala. The same attached form appears in limpiarla, where la refers back to the room.
sala
sala means “room” in La sala común, the shared room being cleaned. A useful pattern is sala + adjective, as in sala común.
común
común means “common” or “shared” in La sala común. It describes a room used by more than one group or person.
se
se helps form the expressions se ve and se dejó in this dialogue. In se ve desordenada it is part of the meaning “looks untidy,” while in se dejó algún objeto personal it is part of the expression for someone leaving an item behind.
ve
ve means “looks” in se ve desordenada, describing how the room appears. A reusable pattern is se ve + adjective, as in se ve desordenada.
desordenada
desordenada means “messy” or “untidy” in se ve desordenada. It describes the state of the room after the event.
después
después means “after” in después del evento and places the situation after the event. A common pattern is después de + event or activity.
del
del means “of the” or “after the” in después del evento. It combines de and el before the masculine noun evento.
evento
evento means “event” in después del evento. Here it identifies the occasion that has just finished.
Tenemos
Tenemos means “we have” in Tenemos que limpiarla, which expresses “we need to clean it.” The reusable pattern is tener que + infinitive for something that must be done.
que
que helps express necessity in Tenemos que limpiarla, meaning that cleaning the room is required. It also introduces the expected situation in esperará que todo esté dispuesto.
limpiarla
limpiarla means “to clean it,” with the pronoun la attached to limpiar and referring to the room. A useful pattern is limpiar + object, such as limpiar la sala.
porque
porque means “because” in porque la reservamos and introduces the reason for cleaning the room. It is followed by a clause explaining why something happens.
reservamos
reservamos means “we reserved” or “we booked” in porque la reservamos, referring to the room. A reusable pattern is reservar + place or resource, as in reservar una sala.
Usemos
Usemos means “let’s use” in Usemos una lista de verificación and proposes a shared action. It is useful when suggesting that a group use a tool or method together.
una
una means “a” in una lista de verificación and introduces one checklist. It is used before the feminine noun lista.
lista
lista means “list” in una lista de verificación, referring to the checklist used for cleaning. In parece lista, the same form means “ready,” so its meaning depends on the surrounding words.
de
de links lista with verificación in lista de verificación, indicating the type or purpose of the list. It also appears in the pattern olvidarse de + item.
verificación
verificación means “checking” or “verification” in lista de verificación. The full expression refers to a list used to check that tasks are complete.
para
para means “in order to” in para no olvidar nada and introduces the purpose of using the checklist. A common pattern is para + infinitive.
no
no negates olvidar in para no olvidar nada, giving the meaning “in order not to forget anything.” It normally comes directly before the verb being negated.
olvidar
olvidar means “to forget” in para no olvidar nada. A reusable pattern is olvidar + object, such as olvidar algo.
nada
nada means “anything” in the negative expression para no olvidar nada. Together with no olvidar, it means that nothing should be forgotten.
Yo
Yo means “I” in Yo puedo recoger and Yo también comprobaré, explicitly identifying the speaker. It can be used when contrasting or assigning one person’s task.
puedo
puedo means “I can” in Yo puedo recoger la basura and expresses the speaker’s ability or willingness to do the task. A common pattern is puedo + infinitive.
recoger
recoger means “to collect” or “to pick up” in recoger la basura. A useful pattern is recoger + object, such as recoger la basura.
basura
basura means “trash” or “garbage” in recoger la basura. It is the object that the speaker plans to collect.
y
y means “and” in Yo puedo recoger la basura y tú puedes volver a poner las sillas. It joins two related tasks or clauses.
tú
tú means “you” in tú puedes volver a poner las sillas and identifies the person assigned the second task. It is used here to address the other participant directly.
puedes
puedes means “you can” in tú puedes volver a poner las sillas and expresses the other person’s ability or assigned possibility. A common pattern is puedes + infinitive.
volver
volver means “to do again” or “to return” in volver a poner las sillas. With a, the pattern volver a + infinitive expresses doing something again.
a
a is part of volver a poner in volver a poner las sillas and helps express putting the chairs back again. The reusable pattern is volver a + infinitive.
poner
poner means “to put” or “to place” in volver a poner las sillas. Here it refers to returning the chairs to their proper position.
las
las means “the” in las sillas and introduces the feminine plural noun sillas. It is used before a specific group of chairs.
sillas
sillas means “chairs” in volver a poner las sillas. These are the pieces of furniture that need to be returned to their places.
Deberíamos
Deberíamos means “we should” in Deberíamos volver a poner las mesas and presents a suggestion for the group. A reusable pattern is deberíamos + infinitive when proposing an action.
mesas
mesas means “tables” in volver a poner las mesas. The dialogue asks whether these tables should be returned to their previous arrangement.
como
como means “the way” or “as” in como estaban and introduces the earlier arrangement of the tables. A useful pattern is como + verb to describe how something was or should be.
estaban
estaban means “were” in como estaban and refers to how the tables were positioned before. It completes the comparison with the previous setup.
El
El means “the” in El próximo grupo and introduces the specific next group. It is used before the masculine singular noun grupo.
próximo
próximo means “next” or “upcoming” in El próximo grupo. It identifies the group that will use the room after the current one.
grupo
grupo means “group” in El próximo grupo. Here it refers to the people expected to use the shared room next.
esperará
esperará means “will expect” in El próximo grupo esperará que todo esté dispuesto como siempre. It describes an expectation about a future situation, followed by que and the expected condition.
todo
todo means “everything” in que todo esté dispuesto como siempre and refers to the complete room setup. It is useful when speaking about all parts of a situation together.
esté
esté means “be” in que todo esté dispuesto and introduces the condition expected by the next group. It is used after esperará que to describe how everything should be.
dispuesto
dispuesto means “arranged” or “set up” in todo esté dispuesto como siempre. It describes the room and its furniture as being prepared in the usual way.
siempre
siempre means “always” in como siempre and refers to the usual arrangement. The pattern como siempre describes something done in the customary way.
también
también means “also” in Yo también comprobaré and adds another task to the speaker’s responsibilities. It is commonly placed before the verb or after the subject.
comprobaré
comprobaré means “I will check” in Yo también comprobaré si alguien se dejó algún objeto personal. It introduces a future check followed by si and the question being investigated.
si
si means “whether” in comprobaré si alguien se dejó algún objeto personal and introduces what the speaker will check. It can introduce an indirect yes-or-no question.
alguien
alguien means “someone” or “anyone” in si alguien se dejó algún objeto personal. It refers to an unspecified person who may have left something behind.
dejó
dejó means “left” in si alguien se dejó algún objeto personal and describes someone leaving a personal item in the room. A useful pattern is dejar + object + place or context.
algún
algún means “some” or “any” in algún objeto personal and refers to an unspecified possible item. It appears before the masculine singular noun objeto.
objeto
objeto means “item” or “object” in algún objeto personal. Here it refers to a belonging that someone may have left in the room.
personal
personal means “personal” in objeto personal and identifies the item as belonging to an individual. It describes the type of object being looked for.
Es
Es means “is” in Es fácil olvidarse de los cargadores y los cuadernos and links the situation with the description fácil. It introduces a general statement about forgetting these items.
fácil
fácil means “easy” in Es fácil olvidarse de los cargadores y los cuadernos. The expression describes forgetting the chargers and notebooks as something that can happen easily.
olvidarse
olvidarse means “to forget” in Es fácil olvidarse de los cargadores y los cuadernos. A reliable pattern is olvidarse de + item, meaning to forget an item.
los
los means “the” in los cargadores y los cuadernos and introduces specific masculine plural items. It is used before each noun in the coordinated list.
cargadores
cargadores means “chargers” in los cargadores y los cuadernos. These are personal items that may be accidentally left behind.
cuadernos
cuadernos means “notebooks” in los cargadores y los cuadernos. They are another type of personal item that is easy to forget.
ya
ya means “now” or “already” in La sala ya parece lista and indicates that the room has reached its ready state by this point. It is useful for marking a change or completed condition.
parece
parece means “seems” or “looks” in La sala ya parece lista and describes the room’s current appearance. A common pattern is parece + adjective, as in parece lista.
Dejarla
Dejarla means “to leave it,” with la attached to dejar and referring to the room. In Dejarla limpia, the whole expression means leaving the room clean.
limpia
limpia means “clean” in Dejarla limpia and describes the condition in which the room is left. It is used after dejarla to state the resulting condition of the room.
debería
debería means “should” in debería hacer más fácil volver a reservarla and expresses an expected result. It is useful for describing what an action is likely or expected to achieve.
hacer
hacer means “to make” in hacer más fácil volver a reservarla and introduces the result of leaving the room clean. The pattern hacer + adjective describes making something become or seem a certain way.
más
más means “more” in hacer más fácil and increases the degree of fácil. Together, más fácil means “easier.”
reservarla
reservarla means “to book it” or “to reserve it,” with la attached to reservar and referring to the room. The expression volver a reservarla means booking the room again.
Grammar Points
tener que + infinitivo
Tenemos que limpiarla.
teh-NEH-mohs keh leem-PYAR-lahWe have to clean it.
Use tener que + infinitive to express obligation. The object pronoun can attach to the infinitive: limpiar + la.
Futuro simple: infinitivo + terminación
Comprobaré la lista de verificación.
kohm-proh-bah-REH lah LEES-tah deh beh-ree-fee-kah-SYOHNI will check the checklist.
The future ending -é expresses “I will.” It attaches directly to the infinitive: comprobar + é.
Spanish Vocabulary
basura
noun
bah-SOO-rah
trash
Yo puedo recoger la basura y tú puedes volver a poner las sillas.
desordenado
adj
deh-sohr-deh-NAH-doh
messy
desordenada
La sala común se ve desordenada después del evento.
después de
prep
dehs-PWEHS deh
after
La sala común se ve desordenada después del evento.
evento
noun
eh-BEHN-toh
event
La sala común se ve desordenada después del evento.
limpiar
verb
leem-PYAR
to clean
limpiarla
Tenemos que limpiarla porque la reservamos.
lista de verificación
phrase
LEES-tah deh beh-ree-fee-kah-SYOHN
checklist
Usemos una lista de verificación para no olvidar nada.
olvidar
verb
ohl-bee-DAHR
to forget
Usemos una lista de verificación para no olvidar nada.
recoger
verb
reh-koh-HEHR
to collect or pick up
Yo puedo recoger la basura y tú puedes volver a poner las sillas.
reservar
verb
reh-sehr-BAHR
to reserve or book
reservamos
Tenemos que limpiarla porque la reservamos.
sala común
noun
SAH-lah koh-MOON
common room
La sala común se ve desordenada después del evento.
tener que
phrase
teh-NEHR keh
to have to
Tenemos que
Tenemos que limpiarla porque la reservamos.
volver a poner
phrase
bohl-BEHR ah poh-NEHR
to put back
Yo puedo recoger la basura y tú puedes volver a poner las sillas.
Quiz
Word Order
Arrange the words in the correct order.
We need to clean it because we reserved it.
Show Answer
Tenemos que limpiarla porque la reservamos.The room looks ready now.
Show Answer
La sala ya parece lista.Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
event
Show Answer
eventoto clean
Show Answer
limpiarlamessy
Show Answer
desordenadato reserve or book