Question 1

Why does the sentence use "las manos" instead of "mis manos" for "my hands"?

Accepted Answer

In Spanish, when you talk about body parts or clothing, you usually use the definite article (el, la, los, las) instead of a possessive word like mis (my). Because you already used me (myself), it is perfectly clear whose hands are being washed!

Question 2

What is the "me" doing at the start of the sentence?

Accepted Answer

The me is a reflexive pronoun used with the verb lavar (to wash). When you wash a part of your own body, you use the reflexive form lavarse (to wash oneself). Without me, Lavo las manos would sound like you are washing some random hands instead of your own.

Question 3

Since "manos" ends in an "-o", shouldn't it be a masculine word?

Accepted Answer

Mano is a very famous exception to the normal gender rules! Even though it ends in "-o", it is entirely feminine. That is why it pairs with the feminine plural article las to become las manos.

Question 4

Why does the sentence use the infinitive "comer" to mean "eating"?

Accepted Answer

In Spanish, whenever a verb comes directly after a preposition like de (found here in the phrase antes de), it must be in its infinitive or dictionary form. So while English uses the "-ing" form ("before eating"), Spanish basically says "before to eat".

Me lavo las manos antes de comer.

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