Мне не хочется убирать на кухне вечером.

I don’t feel like cleaning in the kitchen in the evening.

Breakdown of Мне не хочется убирать на кухне вечером.

• я: I
• не: not
• вечером: in the evening
• на: in

Questions & Answers about Мне не хочется убирать на кухне вечером.

Why does the sentence start with Мне instead of Я?

Because хотеться is usually used in an impersonal construction. The person who experiences the desire is put in the dative case:

• Мне = to me / for me (i.e., I am the one who feels it) So Мне не хочется... literally means something like It doesn’t feel like it to me rather than a direct I don’t want.

What exactly does (не) хочется mean, and how is it different from (не) хочу?

Both can translate as (not) want, but the nuance differs:

• Я (не) хочу = a more direct, deliberate want/decision: I (don’t) want to.
• Мне (не) хочется = a more “internal feeling” / lack of motivation: I don’t feel like it. So Мне не хочется убирать... often sounds softer or more about mood/energy than refusal.

Why is хочется in the form -ся and not something like хочу?