Cuando me lavo las manos, recuerdo siempre mi infancia.

I

Breakdown of Cuando me lavo las manos, recuerdo siempre mi infancia.

• mi: my
• cuando: when
• lavar: to wash
• la mano: the hand
• recordar: to remember
• siempre: always
• la infancia: the childhood

Questions & Answers about Cuando me lavo las manos, recuerdo siempre mi infancia.

Why is it las manos instead of mis manos?

In Spanish, it’s common to use the definite article (el, la, los, las) when referring to body parts or personal items in a reflexive action. Because the context already indicates who is washing (yourself), specifying mis manos is usually unnecessary.

Why is me lavo reflexive?

You use a reflexive verb (lavarse) because the action is performed by the subject on themselves. Me lavo means "I wash myself." If it weren’t reflexive (for example, lavo), it would usually mean you wash someone or something else.

Why is it recuerdo mi infancia and not me recuerdo mi infancia?

The verb recordar (to remember) is not reflexive in Spanish; it directly takes an object, so you say recuerdo algo (I remember something). If you used me recuerdo, you’d be saying "I remember myself," which is not the intended meaning.

Where does siempre normally go in a sentence like this?

Siempre can go in different positions, but it typically appears before or after the verb. In this sentence, placing it after recuerdo is perfectly natural: recuerdo siempre. You could also say siempre recuerdo, which would slightly shift emphasis but still convey the same overall meaning.

Is cuando here just a conjunction meaning "when"?

Exactly. Cuando introduces a time-dependent clause in the sentence. It marks the condition under which something else occurs—in this case, washing your hands is the moment you remember your childhood.