Mis padres desean que yo lave los platos antes de salir de casa.

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Breakdown of Mis padres desean que yo lave los platos antes de salir de casa.

• de: of
• que: that
• antes de: before
• la casa: the house
• mis: my
• salir: to leave
• lavar: to wash
• el plato: the dish
• los padres: the parents
• desear: to desire, to want

Questions & Answers about Mis padres desean que yo lave los platos antes de salir de casa.

Why is lave used here instead of lavo?

Because the verb desear (to wish/desire) in the main clause is followed by que, which typically triggers the subjunctive mood in Spanish. The subjunctive (lave) is used to express desires, feelings, or requests about someone else's action instead of stating a simple fact.

Why do we say que yo lave rather than que lave or que él lave?

Spanish often allows the subject to be omitted, especially when the context is clear. In some regions, saying que lave alone would be perfectly acceptable. However, including yo makes it explicit that I am the one who has to wash the dishes. This helps avoid any ambiguity about who needs to do the washing.

Why is antes de followed by an infinitive (salir) and not a conjugated verb?

The phrase antes de (before) is always followed by an infinitive when referencing a general action or event. In Spanish, prepositions like de and a are typically followed by an infinitive. If a clause (with a different subject) follows antes de, we would usually introduce it with antes de que and use the subjunctive: antes de que yo salga.

Why do we say los platos instead of just platos?

In Spanish, the use of definite articles (los, las, el, la) is more frequent than in English. It’s common to say lavar los platos (wash the dishes) when referring to a specific or known set of dishes (like the ones in your home). The phrase lavar platos is also possible, but it might sound less specific, more like "washing dishes" in general rather than the particular dishes in your kitchen.

Could we use Mis padres quieren que yo lave los platos instead?

Yes! Querer (to want) is a common alternative to desear (to wish/desire). Both verbs would require the subjunctive and have a similar meaning in this context: your parents want (or wish) you to wash the dishes. However, desear can sound a bit more formal or stronger in terms of expressing desire.