Questions & Answers about Hay que poner la lavadora.
Why does it say hay que instead of tienes que?
Hay que is used to talk about things that need to be done in general, without saying exactly who has to do them (like 'one must' or 'it is necessary to'). If you wanted to tell a specific person to do it, you would use a form of tener que, like tienes que (you have to). I thought poner meant 'to put'. Why is it used here?
While poner literally means 'to put', in Spain it is the most common verb to use for turning on or starting certain household appliances. Poner la lavadora is the standard way to say 'to put the washing machine on' or 'to do the laundry'. Could I use encender instead of poner to mean 'turn on'?
You will be understood, but for a washing machine, poner is much more natural. Encender is usually reserved for lights, screens, or simple electronics, whereas poner is used for machines that run a cycle, like dishwashers and washing machines. Who exactly is supposed to do the washing in this sentence?
The sentence doesn't actually specify! Because it uses the impersonal phrase hay que, it simply states a fact: 'the washing machine needs to be put on'. In real life, it is often used as a gentle or indirect hint that someone in the house needs to step up and do the chore. Learn Hay que poner la lavadora and more in Spanish
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