The Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) of Lavarse is used to give direct orders or instructions for someone to wash themselves, for example Lávate las manos antes de comer. (Wash your hands before eating.)

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

Conjugations

Conjugations of Lavarse (to wash oneself) in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) tense (Castilian Spanish):

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

To wash oneself: This is the most literal meaning, for example, ¡Lávate las manos antes de comer! (Wash your hands before eating!)

To clean up: It can also mean to clean up or tidy up, for example, ¡Lávate y arréglate antes de salir! (Clean yourself up and get ready before going out!)

To cleanse spiritually: In a figurative sense, it can mean to cleanse oneself spiritually or morally, for example, ¡Lávate el alma de todo rencor! (Cleanse your soul of all resentment!)

To clear one’s name (colloquial): Colloquially, it can mean to clear one’s name or reputation, for example, ¡Lávate la cara después de ese escándalo! (Clear your name after that scandal!)

To wash one’s hands of something (idiomatic): Idiomatically, it can mean to wash one’s hands of a situation or problem, for example, ¡Lávate las manos de ese asunto! (Wash your hands of that matter!)

To get clean money (slang): In slang, it can mean to get clean or legitimate money, often through illegal means, for example, ¡Lávate ese dinero sucio! (Clean that dirty money!)

Examples

Examples of Lavarse in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands)

Antes de comer, lávate las manos. (Before eating, wash your hands.)

Para evitar la propagación de gérmenes, lávense las manos con frecuencia. (To prevent the spread of germs, wash your hands frequently.)

Niños, lavémonos las manos antes de preparar la comida. (Kids, let’s wash our hands before preparing the food.)

Señor, por favor lávese las manos antes de entrar al quirófano. (Sir, please wash your hands before entering the operating room.)

Después de trabajar en el jardín, lávate bien las manos. (After working in the garden, wash your hands thoroughly.)

¡Oye, lávate la cara, ¿qué onda?! (Hey, wash your face, what’s up?!)

Antes de preparar los alimentos, lávense las manos y desinfecten las superficies. (Before preparing food, wash your hands and disinfect the surfaces.)

Después de cambiar el pañal del bebé, lávate las manos con agua y jabón. (After changing the baby’s diaper, wash your hands with soap and water.)

En el taller de pintura, lávense las manos antes de tomar un descanso. (In the painting workshop, wash your hands before taking a break.)

Compañeros de trabajo, lavémonos las manos antes de servir los alimentos. (Co-workers, let’s wash our hands before serving the food.)

Antes de aplicar el maquillaje, lávate la cara con un limpiador suave. (Before applying makeup, wash your face with a gentle cleanser.)

Al regresar del viaje, lávense las manos para prevenir enfermedades. (Upon returning from the trip, wash your hands to prevent illnesses.)

Después de trabajar en el taller, lávate las manos para quitarte la grasa. (After working in the workshop, wash your hands to remove the grease.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Lavarse (to wash oneself) in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Castilian Spanish. For Latin American 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.