Meaning
To make a residence tidy and free of dirt.
Cultural Background
The 'dia de faxina' is a cultural institution. It usually involves loud music and moving all furniture to clean underneath. Spring cleaning ('limpezas de primavera') is a traditional time to air out the house and do deep maintenance after the damp winter. Cleaning is often a communal activity in smaller communities, where neighbors might help each other maintain the surrounding areas. The phrase is often used in the context of preparing for traditional ceremonies or family gatherings.
Use with 'precisar'
It's very common to say 'preciso limpar a casa' (I need to clean the house).
Gender Agreement
Never say 'limpar o casa'. It's always feminine.
Meaning
To make a residence tidy and free of dirt.
Use with 'precisar'
It's very common to say 'preciso limpar a casa' (I need to clean the house).
Gender Agreement
Never say 'limpar o casa'. It's always feminine.
The 'Faxina' upgrade
If you want to sound like a native Brazilian, use 'fazer uma faxina' for a big cleaning day.
Music is key
In Brazil, cleaning without music is almost unheard of. Ask a Brazilian for their 'playlist de faxina'.
Test Yourself
Fill in the blank with the correct form of the verb 'limpar' in the present tense.
Eu sempre _______ a casa no sábado.
The first person singular (Eu) form of 'limpar' is 'limpo'.
Which sentence is correct?
Choose the correct way to say 'She is going to clean the house'.
'Casa' is feminine (a casa) and 'limpar' is the correct verb for general cleaning.
Match the Portuguese phrase with its English meaning.
Match the following:
These are all common household chore collocations.
Complete the dialogue with the most natural phrase.
A: A casa está muito suja! B: Verdade, nós precisamos ________.
If the house is dirty (suja), the logical action is to clean it.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Cleaning Tools
Tools
- • Vassoura (Broom)
- • Pano (Cloth)
- • Balde (Bucket)
- • Aspirador (Vacuum)
Limpar vs. Arrumar
Practice Bank
4 exercisesEu sempre _______ a casa no sábado.
The first person singular (Eu) form of 'limpar' is 'limpo'.
Choose the correct way to say 'She is going to clean the house'.
'Casa' is feminine (a casa) and 'limpar' is the correct verb for general cleaning.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
These are all common household chore collocations.
A: A casa está muito suja! B: Verdade, nós precisamos ________.
If the house is dirty (suja), the logical action is to clean it.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
14 questionsYes! You can replace 'casa' with any room, like 'quarto' (bedroom) or 'cozinha' (kitchen).
'Limpar' is general. 'Faxinar' (or 'fazer uma faxina') is a deep, heavy clean.
No, it's neutral. It's appropriate for any conversation.
You say 'Eu limpei' (past tense).
Yes, 'limpar a casa' is the standard form. Dropping the 'a' sounds very informal or slightly incorrect.
Yes, 'limpar o carro' is correct, though 'lavar o carro' is more common if you use water.
It's a poetic way to say 'to clean the soul' or 'to feel refreshed'.
Yes, but 'fazer as limpezas' is also very common there.
In Brazil, we just say 'uma grande faxina'. In Portugal, 'limpezas de primavera'.
Yes, in a business context, it means removing unwanted staff.
A person hired to 'limpar a casa' for one day.
Yes, it follows the standard -ar pattern.
Yes, it means 'to clear/clean the table'.
There isn't a single phrase, but you could say 'sujar a casa' (to dirty the house) or 'bagunçar a casa' (to mess up the house).
Related Phrases
Arrumar a casa
similarTo tidy/organize the house
Fazer uma faxina
specialized formTo do a deep clean
Dar uma geral
informalTo do a general tidy-up
Lavar a louça
builds onTo wash the dishes
Passar pano
specialized formTo mop the floor
