The Conditional Mood of lavar is used to express hypothetical or potential situations, for example: Lavaría la ropa si tuviera tiempo. (I would do the laundry if I had time.)

Lavar is a regular verb, so its Conditional conjugations follow the typical pattern for -ar verbs by adding the appropriate endings to the infinitive stem.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Lavar (to wash) in the Conditional Mood tense (Castilian Spanish):

The conditional mood of lavar is used to express hypothetical or potential situations, often with an implied condition.

Wash or clean: This is the most common meaning, referring to the action of cleaning something with water or another liquid. For example, Lavaría los platos después de la cena. (I would wash the dishes after dinner.)

Launder: It can also mean to wash clothes or other fabrics. For example, Lavaría la ropa sucia mañana. (I would launder the dirty clothes tomorrow.)

Clean or purify: In a more figurative sense, it can mean to cleanse or purify something, often in a moral or spiritual context. For example, Lavaría mi alma de todos los pecados. (I would cleanse my soul of all sins.)

Whitewash or cover up: In a negative connotation, it can mean to whitewash or cover up something, often referring to hiding or concealing wrongdoing. For example, Lavaría el dinero sucio a través de negocios legítimos. (I would launder the dirty money through legitimate businesses.)

Slang: Lavar la boca (Wash one’s mouth): This idiomatic expression means to use foul or inappropriate language. For example, Lavaría la boca con jabón si siguiera hablando así. (I would wash your mouth out with soap if you keep talking like that.)

Examples

Examples of Lavar in the Conditional Mood

Si lavaría los platos después de la cena, me ayudaría mucho. (If you would wash the dishes after dinner, it would help me a lot.)

Mamá, ¿lavaríamos la ropa juntas el fin de semana? (Mom, would we do the laundry together this weekend?)

En el hotel, lavaría mi ropa interior a mano. (At the hotel, I would wash my underwear by hand.)

Antes de salir de viaje, lavaría toda la ropa sucia. (Before going on a trip, I would wash all the dirty clothes.)

Si tuviera más tiempo, lavaría el auto con más frecuencia. (If I had more time, I would wash the car more often.)

¿Lavarías los vegetales antes de cocinarlos? (Would you wash the vegetables before cooking them?)

Ellos lavarían los platos después de cada comida. (They would wash the dishes after every meal.)

Para ahorrar agua, lavaríamos la ropa a mano. (To save water, we would wash clothes by hand.)

En la lavandería, lavaría la ropa con detergente hipoalergénico. (At the laundromat, I would wash clothes with hypoallergenic detergent.)

Después de un día en la playa, lavaríais la arena de vuestros pies. (After a day at the beach, you would wash the sand off your feet.)

Si tuviera una piscina, lavaría las toallas con cloro. (If I had a pool, I would wash the towels with chlorine.)

Antes de teñir el cabello, lavaría bien el cuero cabelludo. (Before dyeing my hair, I would thoroughly wash my scalp.)

Para quitar las manchas difíciles, lavaríamos la ropa con agua caliente. (To remove tough stains, we would wash clothes with hot water.)

Después de trabajar en el jardín, lavarían sus manos con jabón antibacterial. (After working in the garden, they would wash their hands with antibacterial soap.)

En un restaurante de lujo, lavarías tus manos antes de comer. (At a fancy restaurant, you would wash your hands before eating.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Lavar (to wash) in the Conditional Mood tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Castilian Spanish. For Latin American Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Conditional mood is also known as the Simple Conditional, Conditional Simple, Would Tense, or Future of the Past in English, and as Condicional Simple, Pospretérito, Potencial Simple, or Condicional de Indicativo in Spanish.