Here’s another post in our ‘Helpful Labels’ series which is aimed at reinforcing everyday vocabulary. Simply copy or print out the phrases below and position them around your living space so that you’ll see them regularly. With time, the phrases will become embedded without you even noticing it! In this post I’m going to give you some simple phrases based on the theme of le pulizie di primavera (spring cleaning).

It’s a lovely sunny day and it’s time to brush away the cobwebs and get down to some serious spring cleaning. Allora, rimbocchiamoci le maniche e facciamo le pulizie di casa (Right, let’s roll up our sleeves and clean the house):

Key verbs:

pulire = to clean, lavare = to wash, spolverare = to dust, passare l’aspirapolvere = to hoover/vacuum (literally: to pass the hoover), scopare = to sweep, lucidare = to polish, mettere in ordine or riordinare = to tidy up

Your Labels:

apro le finestre = I’m opening the windows

faccio prendere aria alla casa = I’m airing the house

metto fuori i tappeti = I’m putting the carpets outside

sbatto i tappeti = I’m beating the carpets

passo l’aspirapolvere in soggiorno = I’m hoovering/vacuuming the living room

scopo per terra = I’m sweeping the floor. Warning: the verb scopare is also the most popular euphemism for ‘having sex’! Therefore it’s safer to use the alternative verb spazzare: spazzo per terra = I’m sweeping the floor

lavo i pavimenti = I’m washing the floor

passo lo straccio per terra = I’m mopping the floor

spolvero i mobili della sala da pranzo= I’m dusting the furniture in the dining room

do la cera ai mobili = I’m waxing the furniture (literally: I give the wax to the furniture)

tolgo le ragnatele = I’m removing/getting rid of the cobwebs

lavo i vetri = I’m cleaning the windows (literally: I’m washing the glasses)

pulisco il bagno = I’m cleaning the bathroom

cambio il letto = I’m changing the bed

giro il materasso = I’m turning the mattress over

lavo le lenzuola = I’m washing the sheets

faccio una lavatrice = I’m doing some washing (literally: I make a washing machine)

metto le coperte a prendere aria = I’m putting the blankets out to air

metto in ordine la camera = I’m tidying up the bedroom

butto via l’immondizia/la spazzatura = I’m throwing away the rubbish

lavo i piatti = I’m doing the washing up

lucido l’argenteria = I’m polishing the silverware

metto via i piatti = I’m putting the dishes away

riordino la cucina = I’m tidying up the kitchen

Well dear readers, that’s just a little list of the jobs that I do around the house every day …. 😉
Is there a helpful label that you’d like to add? Please leave a comment.

Here are some more ‘Helpful Labels’ posts for you to check out:

The Living Room

The Bedroom

The Bathroom

The Kitchen

Useful Household Vocabulary