Lesson note
Repetition builds routines: Repeating the same simple instructions in the same words, day after day, helps young children build routines faster than long explanations. Pairing an instruction with praise for following it reinforces the habit more than correction alone.
Tip: turn pronunciation off to test yourself.
📋 Giving instructions · Dando instrucciones
- Did you already brush your teeth?
- ¿Ya te cepillaste los dientes?¿yah teh seh-pee-YAHS-teh lohs DYEHN-tehs?
- Yes, I'm done.
- Sí, ya terminé.see, yah tehr-mee-NEH.
- Put your shoes on, we're leaving soon.
- Ponte los zapatos, nos vamos pronto.POHN-teh lohs sah-PAH-tohs, nohs VAH-mohs PROHN-toh.
- Pick up your toys before dinner.
- Recoge tus juguetes antes de cenar.reh-KOH-heh toos hoo-GEH-tehs AHN-tehs deh seh-NAHR.
- Put the phone away while we eat.
- Guarda el celular mientras comemos.GWAHR-dah ehl seh-loo-LAHR MYEHN-trahs koh-MEH-mohs.
- Give me your hand to cross the street.
- Dame la mano para cruzar la calle.DAH-meh lah MAH-noh PAH-rah kroo-SAHR lah KAH-yeh.
🙌 Getting cooperation · Logrando cooperación
- I need you to help me for a moment.
- Necesito que me ayudes un momento.neh-seh-SEE-toh keh meh ah-YOO-dehs oon moh-MEHN-toh.
- Okay, what do you need?
- Está bien, ¿qué necesitas?ehs-TAH byehn, ¿keh neh-seh-SEE-tahs?
- Do it now, please, not in a while.
- Hazlo ahora, por favor, no en un rato.AHS-loh ah-OH-rah, pohr fah-VOHR, noh ehn oon RAH-toh.
- If you finish quickly, we'll have time to play.
- Si terminas rápido, tenemos tiempo para jugar.see tehr-MEE-nahs RAH-pee-doh, teh-NEH-mohs TYEHM-poh PAH-rah hoo-GAHR.
- Thanks for listening to me.
- Gracias por hacerme caso.GRAH-syahs pohr ah-SEHR-meh KAH-soh.
🔄 Moving from one thing to the next · Pasando de una cosa a otra
- Five more minutes and we're turning off the TV.
- Cinco minutos más y apagamos la tele.SEEN-koh mee-NOO-tohs mahs ee ah-pah-GAH-mohs lah TEH-leh.
- Okay, the show is almost over.
- Está bien, ya casi termina el programa.ehs-TAH byehn, yah KAH-see tehr-MEE-nah ehl proh-GRAH-mah.
- It's time to put the toys away.
- Ya es hora de guardar los juguetes.yah ehs OH-rah deh gwahr-DAHR lohs hoo-GEH-tehs.
- Come on, we're running late.
- Vamos, se nos hace tarde.VAH-mohs, seh nohs AH-seh TAHR-deh.
- A little longer and we're going to take a bath.
- Un ratito más y nos vamos a bañar.oon rah-TEE-toh mahs ee nohs VAH-mohs ah bah-NYAHR.
🧹 Chores & behavior · Quehaceres y comportamiento
- Pick up your toys before dinner.
- Recoge tus juguetes antes de cenar.reh-KOH-heh toos hoo-GEH-tehs AHN-tehs deh seh-NAHR.
- Okay, I'll pick them up now.
- Está bien, ya los recojo.ehs-TAH byehn, yah lohs reh-KOH-hoh.
- Wash your hands, please.
- Lávate las manos, por favor.LAH-vah-teh lahs MAH-nohs, pohr fah-VOHR.
- I already washed them.
- Ya me las lavé.yah meh lahs lah-VEH.
- Help me make the bed.
- Ayúdame a tender la cama.ah-YOO-dah-meh ah tehn-DEHR lah KAH-mah.
- Okay, I'm making it now.
- Está bien, ya la tiendo.ehs-TAH byehn, yah lah TYEHN-doh.
- Set the table for dinner, please.
- Pon la mesa para la cena, por favor.pohn lah MEH-sah PAH-rah lah SEH-nah, pohr fah-VOHR.
- Where do the forks go?
- ¿Dónde van los tenedores?¿DOHN-deh vahn lohs teh-neh-DOH-rehs?
🧹 Chores & responsibility · Los quehaceres y la responsabilidad
- Today it's your turn to set the table.
- Hoy te toca poner la mesa.oy teh TOH-kah poh-NEHR lah MEH-sah.
- Okay, where do the plates go?
- Está bien, ¿dónde van los platos?ehs-TAH byehn, ¿DOHN-deh vahn lohs PLAH-tohs?
- If you put your things away, we'll have more time to play.
- Si guardas tus cosas, tendremos más tiempo para jugar.see GWAHR-dahs toos KOH-sahs, tehn-DREH-mohs mahs TYEHM-poh PAH-rah hoo-GAHR.
- Clean up your room before the weekend.
- Recoge tu cuarto antes del fin de semana.reh-KOH-heh too KWAHR-toh AHN-tehs dehl feen deh seh-MAH-nah.
- Thank you for helping without me asking.
- Gracias por ayudar sin que te lo pidiera.GRAH-syahs pohr ah-yoo-DAHR seen keh teh loh pee-DYEH-rah.
🧹 Cleaning up together · Limpiar juntos
- Will you help me sweep the kitchen?
- ¿Me ayudas a barrer la cocina?¿meh ah-YOO-dahs ah bah-RREHR lah koh-SEE-nah?
- Sure, where's the broom?
- Claro, ¿dónde está la escoba?KLAH-roh, ¿DOHN-deh ehs-TAH lah ehs-KOH-bah?
- We need to take out the trash today.
- Hay que sacar la basura hoy.ai keh sah-KAHR lah bah-SOO-rah oy.
- Let's fold the clean laundry.
- Vamos a doblar la ropa limpia.VAH-mohs ah doh-BLAHR lah ROH-pah LEEM-pyah.
- Everything's nice and clean now.
- Ya quedó todo bien limpio.yah keh-DOH TOH-doh byehn LEEM-pyoh.
- Put your toys away.
- Guarda tus juguetes.GWAHR-dah toos hoo-GEH-tehs.
- Let's tidy this up together.
- Vamos a ordenar esto juntos.VAH-mohs ah ohr-deh-NAHR EHS-toh HOON-tohs.
🟤 Mud and laundry · El fango y la ropa sucia
- Look at your clothes! You're covered in mud.
- ¡Mira cómo tienes la ropa! Estás lleno de fango.¡MEE-rah KOH-moh TYEH-nehs lah RROH-pah! ehs-TAHS YEH-noh deh FAHN-goh.
- We were playing in the mud.
- Es que estábamos jugando en el fango.ehs keh ehs-TAH-bah-mohs hoo-GAHN-doh ehn ehl FAHN-goh.
- Take your sneakers off outside, please.
- Quítate los tenis afuera, por favor.KEE-tah-teh lohs TEH-nees ah-FWEH-rah, pohr fah-VOHR.
- Put the dirty clothes in the hamper.
- Echa la ropa sucia en el cesto.EH-chah lah RROH-pah SOO-syah ehn ehl SEHS-toh.
- Another load of laundry to wash!
- ¡Otra tanda de ropa para lavar!¡OH-trah TAHN-dah deh RROH-pah PAH-rah lah-VAHR!
- Can I help you fold the laundry?
- ¿Te ayudo a doblar la ropa?¿teh ah-YOO-doh ah doh-BLAHR lah RROH-pah?
- Yes, thanks, that helps me a lot.
- Sí, gracias, eso me ayuda mucho.see, GRAH-syahs, EH-soh meh ah-YOO-dah MOO-choh.
✏️ Chores in a sentence · Los quehaceres en una oración
- Can you take out the trash?
- ¿Puedes sacar la basura?¿PWEH-dehs sah-KAHR lah bah-SOO-rah?
- I haven't swept the kitchen yet.
- Todavía no he barrido la cocina.toh-dah-VEE-ah noh eh bah-RREE-doh lah koh-SEE-nah.
- It's your turn to wash the dishes.
- Es tu turno de lavar los platos.ehs too TOOR-noh deh lah-VAHR lohs PLAH-tohs.
- They dusted.
- Ellas quitaron el polvo.EH-yahs kee-TAH-rohn ehl POHL-voh.
- They vacuum.
- Ellos pasan la aspiradora.EH-yohs PAH-sahn lah ahs-pee-rah-DOH-rah.
- Tomorrow I am going to mop the floor.
- Mañana voy a trapear el piso.mah-NYAH-nah voy ah trah-peh-AHR ehl PEE-soh.
- Yesterday I made the bed.
- Ayer tendí la cama.ah-YEHR tehn-DEE lah KAH-mah.
- You are going to clean the bathroom.
- Tú vas a limpiar el baño.too vahs ah leem-PYAHR ehl BAH-nyoh.
- You fold the laundry.
- Tú doblas la ropa.too DOH-blahs lah ROH-pah.
- You watered the plants.
- Tú regaste las plantas.too reh-GAHS-teh lahs PLAHN-tahs.
❓ Did you do your chores? · ¿Hiciste tus quehaceres?
- Did you already clean your room?
- ¿Ya limpiaste tu cuarto?¿yah leem-PYAHS-teh too KWAHR-toh?
- Yes, I already cleaned it.
- Sí, ya lo limpié.see, yah loh leem-PYEH.
- Who is going to take out the trash?
- ¿Quién va a sacar la basura?¿kyehn vah ah sah-KAHR lah bah-SOO-rah?
- I am going to take it out.
- Yo la voy a sacar.yoh lah voy ah sah-KAHR.
- Did you wash the dishes already?
- ¿Ya lavaste los platos?¿yah lah-VAHS-teh lohs PLAH-tohs?
- No, I will wash them later.
- No, los lavo después.noh, lohs LAH-voh dehs-PWEHS.
- What did you do yesterday?
- ¿Qué hiciste ayer?¿keh ee-SEES-teh ah-YEHR?
- I swept the living room.
- Barrí la sala.bah-RREE lah SAH-lah.
- Are they going to water the plants?
- ¿Van a regar las plantas?¿vahn ah reh-GAHR lahs PLAHN-tahs?
- Yes, they will water them tomorrow.
- Sí, las riegan mañana.see, lahs RYEH-gahn mah-NYAH-nah.
💬 Getting it done · Terminar la tarea
- Are you done yet?
- ¿Ya terminaste?¿yah tehr-mee-NAHS-teh?
- Let's go step by step.
- Vamos paso a paso.VAH-mohs PAH-soh ah PAH-soh.
- One more little step and we're done.
- Un pasito más y terminamos.oon pah-SEE-toh mahs ee tehr-mee-NAH-mohs.
- Take your time, there's no rush.
- Hazlo con calma, no hay prisa.AHS-loh kohn KAHL-mah, noh ai PREE-sah.
- We're almost done, just a little more.
- Casi terminamos, un poquito más.KAH-see tehr-mee-NAH-mohs, oon poh-KEE-toh mahs.
👉 Everyday commands · Instrucciones de todos los días
- Come here.
- Ven acá.vehn ah-KAH.
- Give it to me.
- Dámelo.DAH-meh-loh.
- Hurry up.
- Apúrate.ah-POO-rah-teh.
- Let's go.
- Vamos.VAH-mohs.
- Put it away.
- Guárdalo.GWAR-dah-loh.
- Put it here.
- Ponlo aquí.POHN-loh ah-KEE.
- Sit down.
- Siéntate.SYEHN-tah-teh.
- Wait a moment.
- Espera un momento.ehs-PEH-rah oon moh-MEHN-toh.
More everyday commands · Más mandatos de todos los días
- Close the window.
- Cierra la ventana.SYEH-rrah lah vehn-TAH-nah.
- Come here a moment.
- Ven acá un momento.vehn ah-KAH oon moh-MEHN-toh.
- Did you hear me?
- ¿Me oíste?¿meh oh-EES-teh?
- Did you understand?
- ¿Entendiste?¿ehn-tehn-DEES-teh?
- Do it again.
- Hazlo otra vez.AHS-loh OH-trah vehs.
- Go over there.
- Ve para allá.veh PAH-rah ah-YAH.
- Put it there.
- Ponlo ahí.POHN-loh ah-EE.
- Stop doing that.
- Deja de hacer eso.DEH-hah deh ah-SEHR EH-soh.
- Try again.
- Inténtalo otra vez.een-TEHN-tah-loh OH-trah vehs.
- Wait there.
- Espera ahí.ehs-PEH-rah ah-EE.