Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): Hago limpieza en la cocina después de cenar. - I do cleaning in the kitchen after dinner.

Hago is the first-person singular present form of hacer, which means “to do” or “to make.” In this sentence, it indicates that the speaker performs the action of doing cleaning.

Why is the expression hacer limpieza used instead of simply using the verb limpiar?

The phrase hacer limpieza is an idiomatic way in Spanish to refer to the act of cleaning or tidying up. While limpiar means “to clean” (often used for a more specific or direct action on an object or area), hacer limpieza emphasizes carrying out a cleaning routine or process. It’s a common expression in Latin American Spanish to describe cleaning in a general sense.

How does the prepositional phrase en la cocina function in this sentence?

En la cocina specifies the location where the cleaning takes place—it tells us that the cleaning is done in the kitchen. En means “in” and la cocina refers to “the kitchen,” using the definite article to denote a particular space.

What is the role of the phrase después de cenar and how is it constructed?

Después de cenar indicates the time at which the cleaning is done—specifically, it means “after dinner.” The construction uses the prepositional phrase después de (“after”) followed by the infinitive cenar (“to dine” or “to have dinner”), which is a common way in Spanish to express that an action occurs following another event.

Can I adapt this sentence to talk about cleaning different areas or at different times? How would I do that?

Yes, you can easily modify the sentence by changing the location or time phrases. For example, if you want to say “I clean the living room before dinner,” you could say: Hago limpieza en la sala antes de cenar. Simply substitute en la cocina with en la sala (“in the living room”) and después de cenar with antes de cenar (“before dinner”).