Question 1

Why is there a nos before lavamos?

Accepted Answer

Nos is a reflexive pronoun that means "ourselves." The verb here is lavarse (to wash oneself). Because the subject is "we" (nosotros), we use the matching reflexive pronoun nos. Literally, the sentence says "We wash ourselves the teeth."

Question 2

Why does the Spanish use los dientes (the teeth) instead of "nuestros dientes" (our teeth)?

Accepted Answer

In Spanish, when you talk about routine actions with body parts, you use "the" (el, la, los, las) instead of possessives like "my" or "our". The reflexive pronoun nos already makes it perfectly clear whose teeth are being brushed!

Question 3

Doesn't lavamos mean "we wash"? Why is the translation "we brush"?

Accepted Answer

Yes, lavar means "to wash." In Spain, the most common way to say "to brush one's teeth" is lavarse los dientes (literally, "to wash one's teeth"). You might also hear cepillarse los dientes, but lavarse is very natural for this daily routine.

Question 4

Do we have to include the word Nosotros at the beginning?

Accepted Answer

No, it is optional. The verb ending in lavamos and the pronoun nos already tell us the subject is "we". Adding Nosotros just adds a bit of emphasis, like saying "As for us, we brush our teeth later."

Nosotros nos lavamos los dientes luego.

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