Nos lavamos la cara antes de dormir para mantener la piel saludable.

We wash our face before sleeping to keep our skin healthy.

Breakdown of Nos lavamos la cara antes de dormir para mantener la piel saludable.

• nosotros: we
• dormir: to sleep
• para: to
• antes de: before
• mantener: to keep
• lavar: to wash
• saludable: healthy
• nos: ourselves
• la cara: the face
• la piel: the skin

Questions & Answers about Nos lavamos la cara antes de dormir para mantener la piel saludable.

Why do we use nos lavamos instead of just lavamos?

In Spanish, reflexive pronouns are typically used when the person doing the action is also receiving the action. Since we’re washing our own face, we use nos (ourselves) instead of just lavamos, which would imply washing something else or someone else’s face.

Why do we say la cara instead of nuestra cara?

In Spanish, when referring to body parts, it’s common to use the definite article (la, el) rather than a possessive adjective (nuestra, mi). It’s understood in context whose body part it is, so nos lavamos la cara naturally means "we wash our (own) face."

Why antes de dormir and not antes de que durmamos?

Antes de + infinitive is a typical construction in Spanish meaning "before doing something." If you say antes de que durmamos, you’re changing the structure to a subjunctive clause, which is more complex and less direct. Antes de dormir simply uses the infinitive, conveying "before sleeping" in a straightforward way.

Why is para mantener used instead of por mantener?

Para often indicates purpose or goal, translating roughly to "in order to" in English. In this sentence, para mantener la piel saludable means "in order to keep the skin healthy." Using por would suggest a cause or reason rather than a purpose, which doesn’t fit well here.