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¿Lavas tú los platos?

 

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Old October 19, 2008, 02:30 PM
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Question ¿Lavas tú los platos?

¿Lavas tú los platos? This is from one of my homework problems.
How would you translate this? Would you say "Wash your plates?" It doesn't make sense as a question.
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  #2  
Old October 19, 2008, 03:07 PM
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'Wash the (your) plates' is an imperative, or a command. That's why it doesn't make sense as a question.

Lavar = to wash
yo lavo = I wash, or I am washing
tú lavas = you wash, or you are washing
etc.

When a question isn't being asked, (tú) lavas (or lavas (tú)) los platos means you are washing the plates.
When used in a question, however, the English translation of (tú) lavas, or lavas (tú), becomes are you washing. (Note that the subject pronoun isn't necessary.)

Does this help?
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Old October 19, 2008, 03:39 PM
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Smile Yes, gracias

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rusty View Post
'Wash the (your) plates' is an imperative, or a command. That's why it doesn't make sense as a question.

Lavar = to wash
yo lavo = I wash, or I am washing
tú lavas = you wash, or you are washing
etc.

When a question isn't being asked, (tú) lavas (or lavas (tú)) los platos means you are washing the plates.
When used in a question, however, the English translation of (tú) lavas, or lavas (tú), becomes are you washing. (Note that the subject pronoun isn't necessary.)

Does this help?
Yes, it does. Gracias
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Old October 20, 2008, 08:03 AM
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So Jchen, is this what your translation looks like?

Do you wash the plates?

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Old October 20, 2008, 09:00 AM
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I would translate:

Would you do the dishes?

Or, more imprecative, more pushy

Are you doing the dishes?
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Old October 20, 2008, 09:38 AM
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I agree with you but jchen was just looking for a translation.
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Old October 20, 2008, 01:30 PM
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I got the answer, everyone. It is "Are you washing your plates?"
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Old October 20, 2008, 01:39 PM
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The definite article los can be translated as yours, but usually only when the object is a personal item. I would translate the phrase as:
Are you washing the dishes?

Platos, especially in the plural, can mean dishes. There are other words used for dishes, too, but in Central America they say lavar los platos or fregar los platos for 'to wash the dishes'.
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Old October 20, 2008, 03:36 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jchen View Post
I got the answer, everyone. It is "Are you washing your plates?"
Well, I'm glad you got your answer but that is not the translation....

Are you washing your plates? = ¿Estas lavando tus platos?

or

¿Estas fregando tus platos?

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Old October 20, 2008, 07:12 PM
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Well, that's what it is.

Last edited by Rusty; October 20, 2008 at 07:43 PM.
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