Breakdown of El baño está sucio. Lo limpio ahora.
estar
to be (location/state)
ahora
now
sucio
dirty
el baño
the bathroom
lo
it / him (m)
limpiar
to clean
Questions & Answers about El baño está sucio. Lo limpio ahora.
Why do we use "lo" to mean "it" in this sentence?
The pronoun lo replaces el baño (the bathroom). Because el baño is a masculine, singular noun, we have to use the masculine, singular direct object pronoun lo. If we were talking about a feminine noun like la cocina (the kitchen), we would use la instead.
Why does "lo" come before the verb "limpio"?
In English, we put "it" after the verb ("I clean it"). But in Spanish, direct object pronouns like lo, la, los, and las must be placed directly before the conjugated verb. So, it is arranged like "it I clean" (lo limpio).
Doesn't "limpio" just mean the adjective "clean"? How do we know it's a verb here?
You are right that limpio can be an adjective meaning "clean" (the opposite of sucio). However, here it is the "yo" (I) form of the verb limpiar (to clean). We know it is acting as a verb because it has the object pronoun lo right in front of it, and it explains what the speaker is doing ahora (now).
Why do we use "está" instead of "es" for "is dirty"?
The translation says "I am cleaning it now," but isn't "limpio" just "I clean"?
Yes, limpio literally translates to "I clean". However, in Spanish, the simple present tense is very often used to talk about actions happening right at this exact moment. So, lo limpio ahora can translate to "I clean it now" or "I am cleaning it now."
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