Si la olla está muy sucia, prefiero limpiarla con un estropajo.

Because estar is used for a temporary state or condition, while ser is used for something more permanent or defining. Here, muy sucia describes the pot’s current condition, so está muy sucia is the natural choice.

The accent mark shows the correct stress: es-TÁ. It also distinguishes the verb form está from esta, which can mean this. In standard Spanish, the verb está always has the written accent.

In Spanish, a singular countable noun usually needs an article or another determiner. So si olla está muy sucia would be ungrammatical. You need la olla, una olla, esta olla, and so on.

Here la olla means the pot.

Because adjectives in Spanish usually agree with the noun they describe. Olla is feminine singular, so the adjective must also be feminine singular:

• la olla sucia
• la olla está sucia

If the noun were masculine, you would use sucio instead.

Because muy is used before adjectives and adverbs:

• muy sucia
• muy grande
• muy rápido

Mucho is usually used with nouns or with verbs:

• mucha agua
• muchos platos
• trabaja mucho

So before sucia, you need muy.

Because preferir is a stem-changing verb. In the present tense, the e in the stem changes to ie in most forms:

• prefiero
• prefieres
• prefiere
• preferimos
• preferís
• prefieren

So prefiero is the correct form for I prefer.

Spanish often leaves out subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows who the subject is. Prefiero already means I prefer, so yo is not necessary unless you want emphasis or contrast.

For example:

• Prefiero limpiarla. = I prefer to clean it.
• Yo prefiero limpiarla. = I prefer to clean it (with extra emphasis on I).

Because la is a direct-object pronoun attached to the infinitive limpiar.

• limpiar = to clean
• la = it / her (here it means it, referring to la olla)
• limpiarla = to clean it

Spanish allows object pronouns to attach to an infinitive like this.

Because limpiar still needs a direct object. Instead of repeating la olla, Spanish uses the pronoun la:

• prefiero limpiar la olla
• prefiero limpiarla

Both mean the same thing, but the second sounds smoother because it avoids repetition.

Yes, Spanish often allows the object pronoun either:

• attached to the infinitive: prefiero limpiarla
• before the conjugated verb: la prefiero limpiar

Both are possible, but prefiero limpiarla is usually the more neutral and common wording.

In Spain, un estropajo is a scouring pad, scrubber, or rough cleaning sponge used for pots, pans, and dishes. It is a very common household word in Spain.

In other Spanish-speaking countries, other words may be more common for the same object.

Con means with, and here it introduces the tool used to do the action. So:

• limpiarla con un estropajo = to clean it with a scouring pad

This is a very common use of con in Spanish.

Here si means if and introduces a real or possible condition:

• Si la olla está muy sucia...

Because this is a normal, realistic condition, Spanish uses the present indicative, not the subjunctive.

Also, Spanish does not normally use the future after si in this kind of sentence. For example, Spanish says:

• Si la olla está muy sucia, la limpiaré.

not

• Si la olla estará muy sucia...

Because the sentence expresses a general preference or usual reaction, not just one single event. It means something like:

If the pot is very dirty, I prefer to clean it with a scouring pad.

Spanish often uses the present tense for habits, routines, and general statements like this.

Because in Spanish, when a conditional clause beginning with si comes first, it is normally followed by a comma:

• Si la olla está muy sucia, prefiero limpiarla con un estropajo.

If the order is reversed, the comma is usually not used:

• Prefiero limpiarla con un estropajo si la olla está muy sucia.