Spanish · A2 · Family moment
Brush Wash Smile in Spanish
This guide helps you master daily hygiene routines in Spanish. A key difference from English is that when talking about body parts, Spanish uses reflexive pronouns (me, te) and the definite article (the) instead of possessive pronouns (my, your).
What you'll learn
- Learn reflexive verbs related to personal care
- Identify body parts like 'hands', 'face', and 'hair'
- Correctly use reflexive pronouns with definite articles
Spanish phrases for brush wash smile
Me cepillo el pelo antes de ir al colegio.
I brush my hair before the school run.
Notice 'el pelo' is used instead of 'mi pelo'.
¿Te cepillas el pelo después de nadar?
Do you brush your hair after swimming?
A question using 'te' for 'yourself'.
Me seco la cara con una toalla pequeña.
I dry my face with a small towel.
Secarse (to dry oneself) is the root verb.
Por favor, sécate la cara después de lavarte.
Please dry your face after washing.
The 'te' is attached to the end of the command 'seca'.
Me lavo las manos antes de preparar tu fiambrera.
I wash my hands before packing your lunchbox.
Fiambrera is a common word for lunchbox.
¿Te lavas las manos antes de comer?
Do you wash your hands before lunch?
'Comer' literally means to eat, but often refers to the midday meal.
Me cepillo los dientes a tu lado.
I brush my teeth beside you.
'Dientes' is used for teeth.
Por favor, cepíllate los dientes con cuidado alrededor del diente flojo.
Please brush your teeth gently around the loose tooth.
'Cepíllate' is the imperative (command) form for 'brush yourself'.
Hear these phrases and practise them
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Try it free for 7 daysKey words
El pelo
Hair
Also 'el cabello' in some regions.
La cara
Face
Always feminine: la cara.
Las manos
Hands
Note that 'mano' is feminine despite ending in 'o'.
Fiambrera
Lunchbox
Commonly used in Spain; 'lonchera' is used in Latin America.
Reflexive Pronouns with Body Parts
In English, we say 'I wash my hands'. In Spanish, you say 'I wash myself the hands' (Me lavo las manos). You must use the reflexive pronoun (me, te, se) and then use 'el, la, los, las' for the body part.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I (Yo) | Me + verb + el/la | Me lavo la cara. |
| You (Tú) | Te + verb + el/la | ¿Te cepillas los dientes? |
| Command (Tú) | Verb + te + el/la | ¡Lávate las manos! |
More examples
Me lavo los pies.
I wash my feet.
Uses 'los' instead of 'mis'.
¿Te secas el pelo?
Are you drying your hair?
Reflexive action happening to oneself.