Phrase in 30 Seconds
The essential way to describe the act of cleaning your clothes in Japanese.
- Means: To wash clothes (the physical action).
- Used in: Daily conversations about chores and hygiene.
- Don't confuse: With {洗濯|せんたく}する, which refers to the whole laundry process.
आपके स्तर पर व्याख्या:
मतलब
To clean garments and apparel.
सांस्कृतिक पृष्ठभूमि
Japanese people often check the 'Laundry Index' ({洗濯指数|せんたくしすう}) on the morning news to see how quickly clothes will dry outside. It is common to use leftover bath water ({お{風呂|ふろ}の{残|のこ}り{湯|ゆ}}) for the first wash cycle to save water, though the final rinse is always fresh water. Laundry nets ({洗濯|せんたく}ネット) are used extensively in Japan to protect clothes from damage in the machine, reflecting a culture of taking great care of possessions. Hanging laundry outside is so common that 'laundry poles' ({物干|ものほ}し{竿|ざお}) are a standard feature of almost every balcony.
Use {洗濯|せんたく} for the chore
If someone asks what your plans are, say '{洗濯|せんたく}します' rather than '{服|ふく}を{洗|あら}います' to sound more natural.
Check the label
Before you {洗|あら}う, always check the tag for the 'Hand Wash' ({手洗い|てあらい}) symbol.
Use {洗濯|せんたく} for the chore
If someone asks what your plans are, say '{洗濯|せんたく}します' rather than '{服|ふく}を{洗|あら}います' to sound more natural.
Check the label
Before you {洗|あら}う, always check the tag for the 'Hand Wash' ({手洗い|てあらい}) symbol.
The Sun is Key
Japanese people take pride in drying clothes in the sun. If you see a neighbor, mentioning the good 'laundry weather' is a great icebreaker.
खुद को परखो
Fill in the missing verb in its polite form.
{今日|きょう}は{服|ふく}を_______。
The context of {服|ふく} (clothes) requires the verb {洗|あら}う (to wash).
Which sentence is the most natural way to say 'I am washing clothes'?
Choose the correct sentence:
The {て|て} + {いる|いる} form indicates an ongoing action.
Match the Japanese phrase to its English meaning.
Match the following:
The verb {洗|あら}う is versatile but the object changes the meaning.
Complete the dialogue.
A: {明日|あした}、{一緒|いっしょ}に{映画|えいが}を{見|み}ませんか？ B: すみません、{明日|あした}は{家|いえ}で_______。
Washing clothes is a common reason to stay home and do chores.
🎉 स्कोर: /4
विज़ुअल लर्निंग टूल्स
Things you can {洗|あら}う
Objects
- • {服|ふく} (Clothes)
- • {皿|さら} (Dishes)
- • {車|くるま} (Car)
- • {靴|くつ} (Shoes)
अभ्यास बैंक
5 अभ्यास{今日|きょう}は{服|ふく}を_______。
The context of {服|ふく} (clothes) requires the verb {洗|あら}う (to wash).
Choose the correct sentence:
The {て|て} + {いる|いる} form indicates an ongoing action.
बाईं ओर के प्रत्येक आइटम को दाईं ओर के उसके जोड़े से मिलाएं:
The verb {洗|あら}う is versatile but the object changes the meaning.
A: {明日|あした}、{一緒|いっしょ}に{映画|えいが}を{見|み}ませんか？ B: すみません、{明日|あした}は{家|いえ}で_______。
Washing clothes is a common reason to stay home and do chores.
🎉 स्कोर: /5
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल
10 सवालYes, {車|くるま}を{洗|あら}う is perfectly correct.
{洗|あら}う is the physical act of washing. {洗濯|せんたく}する is the general chore of doing laundry.
{洗濯|せんたく}をしています or {服|ふく}を{洗|あら}っています.
It is neutral. To be polite, say {服|ふく}を{洗|あら}います.
Yes, for washing shoes.
It is {洗剤|せんざい} (senzai).
{手洗い|てあらい} (tearai).
Some do, but air-drying is much more common.
Yes, {顔|かお}を{洗|あら}う.
Not really, but you can drop the particle: {服|ふく}{洗|あら}う.
संबंधित मुहावरे
{洗濯|せんたく}する
synonymTo do laundry
{服|ふく}を{干|ほ}す
builds onTo hang clothes to dry
{服|ふく}を{畳|たた}む
builds onTo fold clothes
{洗剤|せんざい}
similarDetergent
{汚|よご}れを{落|お}とす
specialized formTo remove a stain
कहाँ इस्तेमाल करें
At a Coin Laundry
Learner: すみません、ここで{服|ふく}を{洗|あら}ってもいいですか？
Staff: はい、もちろんです。あちらの{洗濯機|せんたくき}を{使|つか}ってください。
Talking to a Roommate
Roommate: {今日|きょう}、{洗濯|せんたく}する？
Learner: うん、{汚|よご}れた{服|ふく}を{洗|あら}うよ。
At a Clothing Store (Asking about care)
Learner: この{服|ふく}は{家|いえ}で{洗|あら}えますか？
Clerk: はい、ネットに{入|い}れて{洗|あら}ってください。
Spilling something at a party
Friend: あ！ワインが！
Learner: すぐ{服|ふく}を{洗|あら}わないと！
Weather conversation
Neighbor: {今日|きょう}はいいてんきですね。
Learner: そうですね。{絶好|ぜっこう}の{服|ふく}を{洗|あら}う{日|ひ}ですね。
Asking for help with chores
Parent: {手伝|てつだ}ってくれる？
Child: いいよ。{服|ふく}を{洗|あら}えばいい？
याद करें
स्मृति सहायक
Think of 'Fuku' as 'Full of gunk' and 'Arau' as 'Around the water'. You take the 'Full of gunk' clothes 'Around the water' to clean them.
दृश्य संबंध
Imagine a giant Japanese washing machine with the kanji {服|ふく} (clothes) spinning inside a whirlpool of water shaped like the kanji {洗|あら}う.
Rhyme
Wash the fuku, don't be a muku (innocent/clueless).
Story
A young samurai spilled tea on his favorite {服|ふく}. He ran to the river to {洗|あら}う it before his master saw. He scrubbed so hard the water turned blue!
In Other Languages
In English, we say 'wash clothes'. In Chinese, it's '洗衣服' (xǐ yīfú), which uses the exact same characters. In Korean, it's '옷을 빨다' (oseul ppalda).
Word Web
चैलेंज
Go to your laundry basket, pick up one item, and say out loud: '今からこの{服|ふく}を{洗|あら}います' (I'm going to wash this clothing now).
Review this phrase every time you start your washing machine for the next week.
उच्चारण
The 'f' is soft, made by blowing air between lips.
The 'r' is a flap, similar to the 'tt' in 'better'.
औपचारिकता का स्तर
{服|ふく}を{洗|あら}わせていただきます。 (Household chore announcement)
{服|ふく}を{洗|あら}います。 (Household chore announcement)
{服|ふく}{洗|あら}うよ。 (Household chore announcement)
{服|ふく}、{洗|あら}っとくわ。 (Household chore announcement)
The phrase combines {服|ふく} (garment) and {洗|あら}う (to wash). The character {洗|あら} contains the 'water' radical on the left and 'prior/before' on the right, suggesting returning something to its prior clean state using water.
रोचक तथ्य
The first Japanese electric washing machine was made by Toshiba in 1930 and was a 'thor' type agitator machine.
सांस्कृतिक नोट्स
Japanese people often check the 'Laundry Index' ({洗濯指数|せんたくしすう}) on the morning news to see how quickly clothes will dry outside.
“{今日|きょう}の{洗濯指数|せんたくしすう}は100です！”
It is common to use leftover bath water ({お{風呂|ふろ}の{残|のこ}り{湯|ゆ}}) for the first wash cycle to save water, though the final rinse is always fresh water.
“{残|のこ}り{湯|ゆ}で{服|ふく}を{洗|あら}う。”
Laundry nets ({洗濯|せんたく}ネット) are used extensively in Japan to protect clothes from damage in the machine, reflecting a culture of taking great care of possessions.
“ネットに{入|い}れて{服|ふく}を{洗|あら}う。”
Hanging laundry outside is so common that 'laundry poles' ({物干|ものほ}し{竿|ざお}) are a standard feature of almost every balcony.
“{服|ふく}を{洗|あら}って、ベランダに{干|ほ}す。”
बातचीत की शुरुआत
{今日|きょう}、{服|ふく}を{洗|あら}いましたか？
{週|しゅう}に{何回|なんかい}{服|ふく}を{洗|あら}いますか？
{好|す}きな{洗剤|せんざい}の{香|かお}りはありますか？
सामान्य गलतियाँ
{服|ふく}を{洗濯|せんたく}する
{服|ふく}を{洗|あら}う OR {洗濯|せんたく}する
L1 Interference
{服|ふく}を{洗剤|せんざい}する
{服|ふく}を{洗剤|せんざい}で{洗|あら}う
L1 Interference
{服|ふく}に{洗|あら}う
{服|ふく}を{洗|あら}う
L1 Interference
{皿|さら}を{洗濯|せんたく}する
{皿|さら}を{洗|あら}う
L1 Interference
In Other Languages
Lavar la ropa
Spanish requires the definite article 'la'.
Laver les vêtements
French uses 'faire' (to do) for the chore more often than 'laver'.
Wäsche waschen
The noun 'Wäsche' is more common than 'Kleidung' in this context.
Wash clothes
English often omits the article in 'wash clothes' but Japanese requires the particle {を|を}.
غسل الملابس (Ghasl al-malabis)
Arabic uses a definite article 'al-'.
洗衣服 (Xǐ yīfú)
Chinese does not use particles like {を|を}.
옷을 빨다 (Oseul ppalda)
Korean has a specific verb '빨다' just for laundry, whereas Japanese uses the general 'arau'.
Lavar a roupa
Portuguese requires the article 'a'.
Spotted in the Real World
“{洗濯物|せんたくもの}、{洗|あら}った？”
Asking a housemate if they finished their laundry.
“{服|ふく}を{洗|あら}わないとね。”
Discussing the need to do chores during a break in the rain.
“{君|きみ}の{服|ふく}を{洗|あら}う”
Lyrics about domestic intimacy.
आसानी से भ्रमित होने वाले
Both use the verb {洗|あら}う.
Remember that {服|ふく} is for fabric, {皿|さら} is for ceramic/plastic dishes.
Both involve cleaning clothes.
Use {洗|あら}う for home washing and {クリーニング|くりーにんぐ} for professional services.
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल (10)
Yes, {車|くるま}を{洗|あら}う is perfectly correct.
usage contexts{洗|あら}う is the physical act of washing. {洗濯|せんたく}する is the general chore of doing laundry.
basic understanding{洗濯|せんたく}をしています or {服|ふく}を{洗|あら}っています.
practical tipsIt is neutral. To be polite, say {服|ふく}を{洗|あら}います.
grammar mechanicsYes, for washing shoes.
usage contextsIt is {洗剤|せんざい} (senzai).
practical tips{手洗い|てあらい} (tearai).
practical tipsSome do, but air-drying is much more common.
cultural usageYes, {顔|かお}を{洗|あら}う.
usage contextsNot really, but you can drop the particle: {服|ふく}{洗|あら}う.
practical tips
