The Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) of Lavar is used to give direct orders or instructions to wash something, for example Lava la ropa. (Wash the clothes.)

Lavar is a regular -ar verb, so its conjugations in this tense follow the typical pattern for that verb type.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Lavar (to wash) in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) tense (Latin American Spanish):

Lavar generally means to wash or clean, but has several different meanings in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands), some of which might surprise you.

Literal meaning: To wash or clean something, for example, ¡Lava los platos! (Wash the dishes!)

Figurative meaning: To cleanse or purify something in a metaphorical sense, for example, ¡Lava tu alma de pecados! (Cleanse your soul of sins!)

Slang meaning: To thoroughly beat or defeat someone, for example, ¡Lávalos en el partido! (Beat them in the game!)

Idiomatic meaning: To clear one’s name or reputation, for example, ¡Lava tu nombre de esas acusaciones! (Clear your name of those accusations!)

Rude meaning: To insult or verbally attack someone, for example, ¡Lávate la boca antes de hablar! (Wash your mouth before speaking!)

Examples

Examples of Lavar in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands)

¡Lava los platos después de la cena! (Do the dishes after dinner!)

Por favor, laven sus manos antes de comer. (Please wash your hands before eating.)

Mamá, lavemos la ropa juntas esta tarde. (Mom, let’s do the laundry together this afternoon.)

Oye amigo, lava tu carro, ¡está hecho un desastre! (Hey friend, wash your car, it’s a mess!)

En el restaurante, laven sus platos cuando terminen de comer. (At the restaurant, wash your plates when you’re done eating.)

¡Lava esa mancha de tu camisa antes de que se fije! (Wash that stain on your shirt before it sets!)

Niños, lavemos los juguetes después de jugar. (Kids, let’s wash the toys after playing.)

Antes de cocinar, lava bien todas las verduras. (Before cooking, wash all the vegetables thoroughly.)

¡Laven los biberones del bebé después de cada uso! (Wash the baby’s bottles after each use!)

Después de pintar, lava todas las brochas y rodillos. (After painting, wash all the brushes and rollers.)

Cuando llegues del gimnasio, lava tu ropa deportiva de inmediato. (When you get back from the gym, wash your workout clothes right away.)

Antes de la fiesta, lavemos los vasos y platos. (Before the party, let’s wash the glasses and plates.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Lavar (to wash) in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:

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

Synonyms

The Imperative mood is also known as the Command Form, Affirmative Command Mood, or Direct Command Form in English, and as Modo Imperativo, Imperativo Afirmativo, Mandatos Afirmativos, or Forma de Mandato in Spanish.